Ash Goes American
by jmoul18
Summary: This is a continuation from my first Fan Fiction, Becoming a Master: My Pokémon Journey. In this, Ash travels to the American Region after his journeys in the Kalos region, where he finds a new travel partner and a new rival. There will be NO Team Rocket, I just find them too annoying.
1. Ash Goes American

**So after discontinuing **_**An Inside Job**_**, I have decided to send Ash to the region I created in my first FanFiction **_**Becoming a Master: My Pokémon Journey**_**. It will help you understand this story if you read **_**Becoming a Master: My Pokémon Journey**_** before reading this story, but it is not required. Please review this one and let me know what you think of the idea and storyline**

_Ash Goes American_

Ash had just returned home from Kalos and he was quite pleased with his performance. He had mastered Mega Evolution with Charizard, he had finally won a Pokémon League, and he had even challenged the Elite Four. Unfortunately, while Ash had decisively won against Malva, Siebold, Wikstrom, and Drasna, he wound up losing a close battle to Diantha's Mega-evolved Gardevoir. Ash decided that he had done well enough in Kalos. He decided that it was time to go home to Pallet Town. Serena had been upset to see Ash leave, but she understood his reasons. Ash had just crested the last hill before he saw his hometown. "Race you there Pikachu!" Ash said.

"Pika Pi, Pikachu!" Pikachu said as it leapt off of Ash's shoulder, taking an early head start.

Ash laughed. "Hey, no head starts!" he said, but Pikachu just kept running. Ash kept laughing as he ran. By the time Ash got to the front door, Pikachu had already curled up on the doormat, pretending to be asleep. "Okay, Pikachu, I get it. You're faster than me," Ash said with a laugh. Pikachu instantly perked up and leapt onto Ash's shoulder. With that, Ash opened the door to his house and was greeted with a binding hug from his mother.

"Ash, it's so good to have you home! Congratulations on winning the Kalos League, but I'm sorry about your loss to Diantha," Delia said.

"Thank you Mom. Don't worry about the loss, I'll just try again later," Ash said with a smile. Delia smiled. This was her Ash after all.

"Well, I've invited Professor Oak and Tracey to dinner tonight, so go wash up," Delia said. Ash nodded as he went over to the mantle where he placed his Kalos trophy with his other trophies before going to his room to take a quick shower. Pikachu just rinsed himself off in the sink.

When Ash had come down to the kitchen, Professor Oak and Tracey were already there. Tracey was looking at Ash's newest trophy while Professor Oak was speaking to Delia. "Hey Ash," Tracey said as Ash came down. "Great job in the Kalos region."

"Thanks Tracey, it seems my training has finally paid off," Ash said. "How is everything back at the ranch?" Ash asked both Tracey and Professor Oak.

"It's going marvelously my boy," Professor Oak said. "Your Pokémon are all excited to see you again."

"Then I will be over first thing tomorrow morning," Ash said cheerfully.

True to his word, Ash was at Professor Oak's laboratory early the next day (well, early for Ash, so it was really around noon). He had let out all of his Kalos Pokémon and introduced them to the other Pokémon. Greninja became fast friends with Sceptile, while Talonflame and Hawlucha joined up with the other birds. He had even captured a Tyrunt and Phantump, both of whom had evolved (I am using the Bulbapedia predictions). These two joined the other Pokémon and they became fast friends. Ash had left Pikachu with the others while he spoke with Professor Oak about his travels in the Kalos region. Ash even had Charizard demonstrate mega evolution when Professor Oak inquired about it. Needless to say, Professor Oak was quite happy to have just seen it.

"So Ash, have you decided what you will do now?" Professor Oak asked.

"No, I actually haven't. Usually by now, I have heard of some other region that I could travel to, but it doesn't seem to be the case this time," Ash said.

"Well, I have recently gotten a call from one of my colleagues in the American League, his name is Professor Isaac. He was intrigued with your display of skill in the Kalos league tournament. He actually offered you an invitation to come to the American region so he could meet you."

Ash was both surprised, but intrigued at the same time. He had never even heard of the American region, but he wasn't about to pass up this opportunity. "Is there a Pokémon League there?" Ash asked.

"Yes there is, and it is one of the most difficult that I have ever seen," Professor Oak said. This just made Ash want to go even more.

"Well, I won't disappoint Professor Isaac," Ash said with a grin. "What are the Pokémon like in the American region?"

"The American League is home to nearly every species of Pokémon from every region, except for legendary Pokémon. You would love it there."

"Well, then I have no reason to start over there, so I guess I'll bring a full team with me," Ash said. With that, his Bayleef ran up and tackled Ash. It was pretty excited having heard that Ash was going on another journey and taking his Pokémon with him. "So Bayleef," Ash said through laughs, "I guess you want to come with me?"

"Bay-bay!" she said happily.

"I'll take that as a yes," Ash said. With that, Bayleef went with him while he picked his team for his new journey. In an hour, Ash had selected Bayleef, Charizard, Greninja, Staraptor, and a Tauros (Pikachu is a given).

When that was done, Ash went home to let his mother know about his decision to travel to the American region. Once again, as with Ash's choice to travel to other regions, Delia understood. She had been expecting Ash to leave home again, as he always did. "Ash, I wish you the best of luck at the American League. I'll miss you dearly," She said before Ash departed for the Saffron City airport. After a week on the road, Ash was able to get to the airport and board the plane to Bath Town in the American Region. It would not be long until he arrived.

**So, this chapter is shorter than the others will be, this one is just to see how people react to the story. Please let me know what you think of this story, and how you want it to go. There will be new characters in the story and a different storyline. Like I said in the intro, it will help tremendously if you read **_**Becoming a Master: My Pokémon Journey**_** first. Thank you for reading my stories so far.**


	2. Arrival in Bath

**I forgot to mention that Ash will be about 18 years old, and smart in this story.**

_Arrival in Bath_

Ash stepped off the plane with Pikachu on his shoulder at around eleven in the morning. They walked out of the airport and toward the town itself. What they saw was a lot like Pallet Town, just bigger. There were two buildings in the town that looked like they could be the Pokémon laboratory. One was mostly white with very little space outside, while the other looked like a Meganium-colored house with a gigantic plot of land, and he could see plenty of Pokémon there as well. So Ash took a guess and went to the house that looked like a Meganium.

In about an hour, Ash arrived at the door, and knocked three times. A man about the age of Professor Birch stepped out. "Yes, how can I help you?" he said. He was over six feet tall and had short black hair.

"Is this Professor Isaac's laboratory?" Ash asked, hoping he didn't sound too much like a newcomer to the man. His hopes were dashed shortly as the man laughed lightly.

"You must be new to town. This is the Moul breeding shop, and my name is Jordan," he said. "Professor's laboratory is over that way." Jordan pointed toward the white building that Ash had seen earlier.

"Ah, and that was where I was going to check after this," Ash said. "Well, I am sorry to bother you. My name is Ash Ketchum." He was about to leave when Jordan stopped him.

"Wait, you said Ash Ketchum, as in the Ash Ketchum who won in Kalos just a few weeks ago but lost to Diantha?" he said.

"Yeah, you heard about that?" Ash asked.

"Yes I did. You know, if you are going to Professor Isaac's laboratory, then you might as well come inside," Jordan said. Ash accepted as he walked inside. As he walked through, he saw a mantel covered with more trophies than he had ever seen, including every Battle Frontier symbol, even the Brave symbol.

"Jordan, are those all of your trophies?" Ash said, wonder in his voice.

"They are. Before I retired, I was one of the best trainers in the world. I was able to defeat the champions of every Pokémon League and clear the Battle Frontier."

"I knew I recognized that name. You are the great Jordan Moul?" Ash asked incredulously.

"That's right. I'm surprised that my name is even known in Pallet Town," Jordan said with a slight chuckle.

"So what made you retire?" Ash said, curious.

"One of those answers is actually upstairs getting ready for her journey," Jordan responded.

"So it was your daughter?" Ash asked.

"Yes and no. It was also my marriage," Jordan said. Just as he said that, the back door opened and a woman about the same age as Jordan with shoulder length brunette hair came in. "Oh, and speak of the angel," Jordan said with a smile.

"Hey honey, who is this?" Sarah asked.

"This is Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town. He came to see Professor Isaac, but he got mixed up about where he was going," Jordan said. "Ash, this is my wife, Sarah. She was originally my travel partner when we started our journeys."

"It's great to meet you Sarah," Ash said with a handshake. "So, were you a great Pokémon trainer like Jordan?"

Sarah giggled, "No, I only got two badges in this league. I chose to become a breeder instead." Sarah then went to the staircase. "Rachel, come on or you'll be late getting your first Pokémon!"

"Okay! I'll be down in a second!" came a call from upstairs. It sounded like it belonged to a girl around Ash's age.

Ash's eyebrows rose. "Your daughter is becoming a Pokémon trainer?" he asked.

"Yeah, but you should know that in the American Region, trainers are only allowed to begin their journey when they turn eighteen, rather than at ten," Jordan said. Just as he said that Ash heard somebody coming down the stairs. He turned to see the person coming down, only to see a girl that Brock would have fallen madly in love with at first sight. She was about as tall as Ash with waist-length black hair with a beautiful face and beautiful hazel eyes.

"Hey, who is this?" the girl, who Ash assumed was Rachel, asked while looking at Ash.

"My name is Ash Ketchum, I'm from Pallet Town. I got mixed up while looking for Professor Isaac's laboratory" Ash said.

"Well, I am Rachel Moul, I am from right here in Bath Town," the girl said in a slightly sassy tone, "and if you're heading to Professor Isaac's laboratory, I can take you with me."

"Sounds great. By the way, Jordan, I have a question," Ash said.

"Let me guess," Jordan responded, "You want a battle with me, don't you?"

"Yeah, that's right," Ash said.

"I'll cut you a deal. I will battle you only once you have beaten all the gyms and challenged the Elite Four in the American League," Jordan said.

"Won't I first have to participate in the American League Conference?" Ash asked.

"Actually, no; the American League is one of the few leagues that doesn't have a tournament. We have only eight gyms that are so difficult that those who make it through are allowed to challenge the Elite Four straight away," Rachel said.

Ash was intrigued now. He wasn't sure how he would do in this league, but it seemed to be a lot like the Orange Island League. "Then it's a deal Jordan," Ash said with a grin. "Rachel, don't you have to go get your first Pokémon?"

"Yes I do," Rachel said.

"Mind if I come with you?" Ash asked in a charming tone.

Rachel gave a dazzling smile, "Sure Ash, I could use a travel partner who knows how to catch and train Pokémon already." In a few minutes, Ash and Rachel were out the door and on their way to see Professor Isaac.

"So Rachel, what Pokémon can new trainers choose in the American League?" Ash asked.

"We offer new trainers the option to select one of the eighteen starter Pokémon from every region," Rachel said.

"So you have a lot of options don't you?" Ash said. "Have you decided on your Pokémon?"

"Well, when my parents started out, Daddy chose a Mudkip, and Mom chose Chikorita. I think I want to pick a fire type."

"Well, that leaves you with six Pokémon, and I have had experiences with all of them, and many of their final forms," Ash said.

"Really?" Rachel said, clearly impressed.

"Well, yeah. I have been traveling since I was ten years old," Ash said as he rubbed the back of his head.

"Well, I was thinking about getting a Fenniken, but a Cyndaquil would also be a good choice," Rachel said.

"Well, I can tell you that either choice will be good," Ash said with a smile.

Rachel blushed lightly. She had just met this trainer and she could just sense a certain quality about him that made him very intriguing. They walked for a short time before arriving, and Professor Isaac came to the door. He looked about the same age as Professor Oak, but he had a beard.

"Ah, hello Rachel it is great to see you," he said. Then he saw Ash. "Ah, Mr. Ketchum! Professor Oak said you would be arriving. I hope it wasn't too hard to find my laboratory." Ash just smiled. It hadn't been hard; he just went to the wrong place to start.

With that everybody sat down and talked for a while, Professor Isaac asking about Ash's experiences in other regions. It was at around two in the afternoon that Isaac and Rachel decided that it was time to choose her Pokémon.

"Well Rachel, have you decided?" asked the Professor.

"I have, and I choose Fenniken!" she said with a big grin as she took Fenniken's Pokéball.

"Well, it is an excellent choice," said the professor. "Here are your Pokédex and Pokéballs. I wish both of you good luck in the American League."

That was when Ash and Rachel both left the laboratory. On their way to the town's exit, they saw a small house that Rachel looked at with familiarity. "Do you know who lives there?" Ash asked.

"Yeah, it's my uncle, Connor. He's Daddy's brother," she said.

"Wasn't he the American League Champion for a while?" Ash asked.

"Yeah, the Moul family seems to have a lot of talent for training Pokémon, because my cousin, Ross, is the current champion."

"So did Jordan lose his title?" Ash asked in confusion.

"No, Daddy never officially took the position of the American League Champion. Instead, he traveled the world, but that's a story for another time," Rachel said.

"Well, I guess that you may become the next Champion," Ash said, before his voice took on a mock-sinister tone. "Unless I take it before you."

"Oh dream on Kanto boy," Rachel said, catching on to Ash's joke. She was once again blushing lightly. What was it about this boy that made her so excited?

**So I decided to write some more since my classes got cancelled (thank you snowstorms). Please review and let me know where this story should go, but please read **_**Becoming a Master**_** before offering suggestions so you know the gyms, Elite Four, and also the story between Jordan and Sarah (which will play a major role in this story).**


	3. Carradale Pokemon Center

**After getting good reviews for this storyline, I decided to keep writing it through to the end. So, enjoy this next Chapter of **_**Ash Goes American**_**. Also, Ash's gym battles will be like they were in Kanto: Meeting the leader ****in**** the Gym, battling there, and no bullshit other than that. Also, there will be no side activities that Ash usually encounters**

_Carradale Pokémon Center_

Ash and Rachel were already on their way to Carradale City to challenge the first Gym Leader. "So Rachel, do you know anything about the Carradale Gym Leader?" Ash asked with his excitement for the battle evident.

Rachel giggled. She had never met anybody so enthusiastic about Pokémon Battles. "The Gym Leader's name is Trasha. She specializes in Poison-type Pokémon. Just don't be surprised if she recognizes me because she battled both Daddy, and Mom." Ash nodded. They had been training for about a week together, and Rachel's Fennekin was getting much stronger. Just as they were about to get into the city, a Spearow crossed their path, and Rachel's eyes lit up.

"You want that Spearow don't you Rachel?" Ash asked with a grin.

"Yes, I really do!" Rachel said with unadulterated excitement.

"Just a warning, don't throw a rock at its head," Ash said, referring to his first day as a trainer when he had done the same to a Spearow and almost got killed in the process. Rachel didn't understand the reference, but she ignored it for now.

"Go, Fennekin! Use Ember!" She said as Fennekin came out and it launched a barrage of fire at the Spearow. It luckily did the trick and weakened the enemy enough for Rachel to throw a Pokéball and capture the small bird Pokémon. Rachel went and picked up the Pokéball. "YES! I caught my first Pokémon." She was understandably excited.

"Great job Rachel! That was an awesome capture," Ash said.

"So, I'm curious, what did you mean about not throwing a rock at Spearow's head?" Rachel asked. Ash realized he would not get out of this, so he just decided to postpone the story.

"Let's wait until we get to the Pokémon Center for that tale," Ash said. Rachel just sighed, but she saw that there was no point in arguing, she could see that Ash was the stubborn type. With that, the two of them walked into Carradale City and got a room at the Pokémon Center for the night. It was late, and there would be time for the gym battles tomorrow.

When both Rachel and Ash were ready to go to sleep, Rachel decided it was story time. "So, Ash, about that Spearow story you promised to tell me," Rachel said slyly.

"It seems that you won't be giving me much of a choice," Ash said with a chuckle as he leaned back on his bed. "Well, I guess the best place to start is on my tenth birthday, when I began my Pokémon Journey. I had destroyed my alarm clock in my sleep, so I woke up late, and because there were four trainers in Pallet Town starting on the same day, I didn't get there in time to pick a Bulbasaur, Squirtle, or Charmander. Instead, I got Pikachu. Pikachu hated me at first, so I had trouble catching a Pokémon. So, after getting frustrated from being unable to catch a single Pokémon because Pikachu wouldn't battle, I hurled a rock at Spearow, thinking it was a Pidgey. Soon, an entire flock attacked Pikachu and I. Pikachu was knocked out, and I had to get it out of the situation. We wound up meeting a girl named Misty, and we kind of had to steal her bike to get to the Pokémon Center in Viridian City. We didn't make it because the bike crashed when a storm hit. I was willing to sacrifice myself to protect Pikachu, but Pikachu took action and used a lightning bolt to power up its Thundershock. The Spearow left us alone after that. When Pikachu and I came to, we saw a rainbow and a mysterious Pokémon, which we later learned was Ho-oh," Ash said. When he looked toward Rachel, he could see that she was completely enthralled by the story.

"That last part about Ho-oh, well when Daddy was a trainer, he trained a Ho-oh. He used it during his travels in the American Region until just before he challenged the Elite Four," Rachel said. She was being dead-serious, but Ash still didn't know what to say.

"Okay, now you have to tell me that story," Ash said.

"Well, I don't know the full story because Mom and Daddy don't talk about it too much. It happened when both of them were eighteen and Daddy had been training Pokémon for about a year. He had all eight badges and had just come home from Igland City when every criminal organization in the world formed into one. They were headed by a man named Emmanuel, who led Team Phoenix. Team Phoenix was obsessed with conquering the world by using resurrected ancient Pokémon. This group of criminals wound up kidnapping Mom and holding her hostage. Daddy contacted a group known as the League of Legendary Trainers, and raided the headquarters to rescue Mom," Rachel said.

"So what happened then?" Ash asked with growing curiosity and intrigue.

Rachel giggled; she had never seen a person get so interested in this story other than family members. "Well, while Mom was kidnapped, it was really a ploy to get Daddy, who had actually interfered with Team Phoenix on multiple occasions. They wanted to make an example of Daddy to prevent future trainers from interfering with their plans. While the Legendary Trainers batted the grunts and lesser admins, Daddy had to battle the bosses alone. He won, but just before his last battle with Emmanuel, the boss of Team Phoenix shot Mom in the head. I'm told that Daddy battled so fiercely that day that Emmanuel's Pokémon almost all died, as did Emmanuel. Arceus came and resurrected Sarah, but Daddy had to release Ho-oh for it to work. Then Daddy got a Cyndaquil for his bravery and service to Arceus and trainers worldwide," Rachel said as she finished the story. Ash was now the one to be completely enthralled. He knew he had to get the full story from Jordan later, but for now he would have to be content with that story.

"Wow, Rachel that's an awesome story. It's a great note to get to bed on. After all, we'll need to be completely focused for our battles against Trasha," Ash said.

"I couldn't agree more. Let's get some sleep," Rachel said. Pikachu leapt into Ash's bed, curled up, and promptly fell fast asleep. Ash and Rachel laughed at that, but quickly followed suit. It would be a great day tomorrow.

**I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I will warn you that Ash will not be catching many Pokémon on this journey (maybe two or three Pokémon). As always reviews and suggestions are welcomed, just be sure to read **_**Becoming a Master**_** before making a suggestion about the storyline.**


	4. Taking Out The Trasha

**Hello, I hope you enjoyed my previous chapters. Here is Ash's first American League Gym Battle.**

_Taking out the Trasha_

Ash and Rachel were standing outside the Carradale gym and they were both ready to battle. Rachel had opted to battle first while Ash spectated. Ash was relaxed due to his familiarity with Gym battles, but Rachel was understandably nervous. Ash figured now to be as good a time as any to encourage her.

"Rachel, relax. A gym battle is not so difficult. Just think on your feet and be prepared for anything. You should be fine," he said. With that he opened the door, and was immediately assaulted with possibly the worst stench he had ever experienced, even worse than his Muk. He staggered back from the repulsive scent, Ash and Pikachu were both covering their noses at the same time.

"Sorry Ash, guess I should have mentioned that Trasha's gym smells worse than a Muk," Rachel said with a giggle.

Ash was gasping for breath. "Yeah, that would have helped."

"Pikachu!" Pikachu yelled kind of angrily.

Rachel just kept giggling to herself. "Well, we aren't going to earn our badges standing out here. Besides, that smell is a test for trainers."

"A test?" Ash asked.

"Yeah, trainers need to be able to battle anywhere under any circumstances. The scent is just one of those factors," Rachel said. That was when Ash steeled himself and grabbed the door. Pikachu produced a gas mask out of nowhere and put it on. Rachel was surprised by that, but when she tried to ask Ash, she saw that he was just as confused as she was. With that, they both entered the Gym.

"Welcome challengers," said a sweet, yet elderly sounding voice. Ash and Rachel both looked toward the source. They saw a woman near the entrance of the gym. She looked to be about seventy, and she had a cane. Her skin was pale and she looked quite sickly. Nonetheless, she exuded an air of skill and knowledge. "I am Trasha, the Carradale Gym Leader." That was when Trasha leaned in close to Rachel, then to Ash. "Girl, you look like a combination between two challengers I had almost eighteen years ago. Is your last name Moul?" she asked Rachel.

"Yes it is, my name is Rachel," she said in response.

"Ha! I knew it. Jordan and Sarah got married!" She said almost triumphantly. Then she turned to Ash. "As for you, you look familiar as well. Are you Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town?"

"Yes, I am," Ash said in response.

"Ah, I was quite impressed with your performance in the Kalos region. I guess I will have to use two different teams to battle the two of you. So, who is battling first?" Trasha asked.

"I am," Rachel said excitedly.

"Well, let's get started," Trasha said. She walked surprisingly fast despite the cane, and she got to the far side of the gym in no time at all. "This will be a two-on-two Pokémon battle," Trasha said.

"Great. I just caught my second Pokémon," Rachel said.

"Well, congratulations, but will it be enough?" Trasha asked. "Go, Croagunk!" she called as she sent out the bipedal poison frog.

"Go, Spearow!" Rachel called.

"You have the honor!" Trasha called out.

"Spearow, Peck!" Rachel called out. Spearow dove toward Croagunk, his beak glowing white as he dove.

"Croagunk, dodge and use Poison Jab!" Trasha said. Croagunk sidestepped just as Spearow got within inches of striking and brought its purple glowing fist directly into Spearow's gut. Spearow's eyes bugged out and its mouth was wide open. The punch must have been powerful indeed because Spearow fell and fainted. "You'll need something more powerful than that to beat me with my dear," Trasha said. "Your father was able to defeat me with only one Pokémon, but that was after his Mudkip evolved."

"Return Spearow! Go Fennekin!" Rachel called. As luck would have it, history was to repeat itself today. Fennekin began to glow shortly after being released from its Pokéball. Ash was surprised and Rachel looked ecstatic as she watched her first Pokémon become a beautiful and strong Braixen.

"Congratulations with the evolution, but this battle is far from over," Trasha said.

"I agree," said Rachel. "Braixen, use Confusion!" Braixen's eyes glowed blue as Croagunk was levitated before being thrown at the wall. Croagunk slammed into the wall, where it slumped over and fainted.

"Return Croagunk!" Trasha called out as she pulled out another Pokéball. "Great attack there, but I still have one more Pokémon left. Go, Grimer!" The sludge-like Pokémon came out. "Grimer, use Sludge." Grimer threw a brown-purple blob at Braixen.

"Braixen, counter that with Flamethrower!" She commanded. Braixen shot a small jet of flame that struck the blob, causing it to explode. "Now, use another Confusion!" she said. Braixen obeyed perfectly as her eyes glowed blue and gripped the sludge Pokémon. This time, when Braixen threw Grimer, the gelatinous Pokémon just bounced with it and landed back on the ground.

"Grimer, use Tackle!" Trasha called out.

"Braixen, dodge it and use Flamethrower!" Rachel called. Braixen leapt to the side of Grimer before it could land the hit. It then launched another jet of fire, directly at Grimer. The poison Pokémon cried in pain as Braixen torched it. After the blast of fire, Grimer slumped to the ground, it had fainted. Rachel had won the battle.

"Return Grimer," Trasha said. "Congratulations Rachel, you have won the Venom Badge!" With that, she handed Rachel a badge that looked like the head of a viper seen from the side, its fangs and tongue out.

Rachel hugged Braixen, laughing happily. They were happier than ever with the victory. "Great job Braixen!" she said. "Now, return!"

Ash came down from the stands. "Great battle Rachel. Now it's my turn," he said.

"I can't wait to see what an experienced trainer can do," Rachel said as she walked toward the stands. Rachel couldn't help but smile to herself. Ash was so inspiring when he was about to battle, but there was still that special something that she just couldn't identify. It just made her want to learn everything about him.

Trasha then went to the other end of the gym once more and switched out her two Pokéballs for two others. "Well Ash, this will be another two-on-two battle, but these two Pokémon will prove to be much more powerful than Rachel's opponents. I expect a great deal from one who almost beat Diantha. Now, I choose Tentacruel!" Trasha called. Out came the large jellyfish.

"Alright, then I choose Pikachu!" Ash called. Pikachu leapt onto the field.

"Ah, so this is the famous Pikachu?" Trasha said. "Well, let's see how strong he really is."

"Oh you will, Pikachu, Electro Ball!" Ash commanded. Pikachu launched a ball directly at Tentacruel.

"Tentacruel, use Light Screen!" called Trasha. With that, Tentacruel's jewel glowed as a clear wall appeared, blocking the ball of lightning.

Ash grinned. He had hoped for just such a block. "Pikachu, use Volt Tackle!" he said. Pikachu charged and became shrouded in electricity. It got close and leapt through the Light Screen, slamming into Tentacruel. The jellyfish cried out momentarily, but managed to stay up. "Pikachu, hang on and use Thunderbolt!" Ash commanded. Pikachu did as it was told, gripping Tentacruel's pincer as it unleashed a massive wave of lightning. This time, Tentacruel fell and did not get back up. Pikachu leapt off of the water Pokémon and landed confidently.

"Tentacruel, return," Trasha said. "Well that was impressive Ash, you know how to battle. But will you be able to beat my Toxicroak?" As Trasha said that, she threw her next Pokéball. Out came a larger version of Croagunk with clawed knuckles and one horn on its head. Ash knew it had both poison and fighting types, so he made a smart choice.

"Pikachu, come back. That's enough for today," Ash said. Pikachu came back to Ash's side. "Now, go Charizard!" From the Pokéball came one of Ash's strongest Pokémon, who roared loudly and proudly.

"Ah, so I get to see two legends from various Pokémon Leagues. This should be interesting," Trasha said. "Toxicroak, use Toxic!" Toxicroak spat a blob of violet sludge at Charizard.

"Charizard, use Fire Blast to counter, then Wing Attack," Ash commanded. Charizard perfectly hit the Toxic attack with the Fire Blast, not only scorching through the poison, it continued to fly through the air and it struck Toxicroak head-on. Charizard then took flight and his wings began to glow brightly. Toxicroak had just struggled to its feet after the Fire Blast when it got slammed back by Wing Attack. Toxicroak landed hard and fainted.

Trasha sighed and walked to Ash, Charizard, and Pikachu. "Well, that is that. It seems that I have lost twice in a row. Congratulations Ash," she said as she gave Ash the Venom Badge. "You've earned this."

"Great job Pikachu and Charizard!" Ash said as he took the badge. "You were both amazing!"

In another hour, both Ash and Rachel were back in the Pokémon Center for the night. Both took a much needed shower to remove the lingering stench from Trasha's gym before they went to sleep. They would need the rest before they took the trek through Mount Basteel, which housed every known steel-type in the world.

**Hope you enjoyed that. Let me know in the reviews, and please offer suggestions about how the story should progress. The request that you read **_**Becoming a Master**_** before you offer suggestions still stands.**


	5. Mt Basteel and the Pitt Museum

_Mt. Basteel and Pitt City Museum_

Ash and Rachel both stood in front of the entrance to Basteel Cave. Earlier that morning, Ash had switched some of his Pokémon around. The mouth to the cave looked pitch black, and there seemed to be no sign of Pokémon from where they stood. They were about to enter when Rachel thought she heard something behind her.

Both trainers turned around when the sound came again, both of them heard a distinct "Digle-di!" They knew then that there were Diglett near them, but they only saw a hole.

"Well Rachel, I looked online, and the next gym is Steel-type. Do you want to catch a Ground type before you get there?" Ash asked.

"Not particularly. I really want to catch a Drilbur," she said. "That way I can get an Excadrill."

Ash chuckled. He was starting to realize that Rachel had many of the best qualities that Misty, May, Dawn, Iris, and Serena all had, and she had great skill as a trainer. He had noticed her looking at him every once in a while, a lot like his other travel companions had. "Well, there should be a few Drilbur in the cave, right?" he said.

"Yeah, there should be a few. There will also probably be a lot of Zubats," Rachel said.

"Well, you have clearly never been through Rock Tunnel in Kanto," Ash said with a laugh.

"No, are there a lot of Zubat there?"

"A lot doesn't even begin to cover it. Rock Tunnel is almost entirely Zubat with a few other Pokémon sprinkled in," Ash said with another chuckle as he pulled a flashlight out. "Anyway, there is a cave that we need to get through, so let's go."

Ash just walked into Basteel cave without waiting for a response. Rachel just shook her head. She followed her new friend into the cave. After walking for about five minutes, they came to an open cavern which had a skylight. When they saw this, they realized that there was no need for flashlights. "Well," Rachel said. "I am going to look for a Drilbur."

"Sounds good," Ash responded. "I think I will catch other Pokémon in the meantime." Since there were no new Pokémon in the American region, he figured it was a good time to catch as many Pokémon as possible. Within a few minutes, Ash had captured a Magnemite, a Mawile, a Klink, an Aron, a Honedge, and a Pawniard, and a Ferroseed. He was now looking for a Beldum. Then he heard Rachel cheering.

"Yes! I caught a Drilbur. Great job Braixen!" she said.

Ash smiled. "Hey Rachel, could I get some help looking for a Beldum?" he yelled.

"Sure, Daddy caught one here after he found it hiding in a crevice. Look in cracks in the walls and floor!" she called back. Ash nodded. He knew that Jordan had accumulated a team of almost all pseudo-legendary Pokémon, his Swampert and a Typhlosion. He took Rachel's suggestion seriously. Ash went around looking into every crack and crevice large enough to hide a Beldum. Unfortunately, he was unable to find even one of them for almost half an hour. "Ash, are you going to keep looking. Daddy was really lucky when he found and caught his Beldum. It isn't that big of a deal, especially since you caught almost all the other steel-types here. Ash just nodded. He didn't need to get a Beldum.

"Alright, let's go," Ash said. Just as he got up to leave, he saw a Beldum floating by the tunnel toward the Pitt City exit. He looked to Rachel with absolute joy.

"Oh, go ahead!" she said.

"YES! Go, Quilava!" Ash said. "Now, use Flamethrower!" Quilava shot a stream of flames at Beldum. This made the Pokémon jump in surprise. It was engulfed quickly and Ash threw a Pokéball immediately. It hit the steel Pokémon and drew it in, but the Pokéball didn't keep the Pokémon inside.

Beldum burst out and flew into Quilava with its Take Down attack. Ash was frustrated. "Quilava, use Flame Wheel!" Quilava charged quickly and slammed into Beldum. The steel Pokémon fell hard and was about to faint when Ash whipped a Pokéball. This time, Beldum was captured. "YEAH! We did it! Great job Quilava!" Ash cheered.

"Quilava!" it cried for the last time as it began to glow and evolve. Now Ash was overwhelmed. He had not only captured almost every steel type, but now his Quilava was evolving into a Typhlosion. Soon, the glowing ceased and Typhlosion stood before them, and it roared happily.

"That was awesome Quila-oops, I mean Typhlosion!" Ash said as he hugged his newly evolved Johto starter Pokémon.

"Typhlo!" it roared.

Rachel smiled. She could see once again how much Ash cared for his Pokémon. It was both heartwarming and inspiring. Ash looked her way when he had recalled Typhlosion and Beldum had been sent to Professor Oak. "Alright, now let's keep going. It's getting a bit late, and we should probably get to Pitt City."

"Sounds great," Rachel said. "By the way, would you mind it if we stopped at the Pitt City Museum before we go to the gym? I'm supposed see a landmark in the museum that Daddy told me to go see. It has something to do with his Pokémon Journey being a lesson for mine."

"Sure, but let's stop at the Pokémon Center and get a room before they are all gone," Ash said.

"Agreed," Rachel said. With that, Ash and Rachel left Mt. Basteel and began walking toward Pitt City. It was a gigantic city, with towering buildings. It almost reminded Ash of Lumiose City, but it wasn't quite as large. They found one of the many Pokémon Centers there and checked into a room. After all of their Pokémon had a check-up, Ash and Rachel both went to the Pitt City Museum. In about fifteen minutes, they arrived

They opened the doors and saw a slight crowd on the other side of the museum, looking at a screen, but Ash couldn't see what was on the screen. There was also a roped off crater in the center of the museum. "That's it," Rachel said, pointing to the screen.

The two squeezed through the crowd and saw that what was showing on the screen was security footage of what seemed to be the start of a battle between three men, one wore a maroon suit and looked a lot like Giovanni of Team Rocket, and he was commanding an Armaldo and Aerodactyl. "That's Emmanuel!" Rachel gasped and Ash looked at her in confusion. Ash then looked back to the screen and saw that the other two battlers. One looked like a much younger Jordan and the other looked slightly older, but he looked similar to Jordan in a way. "That's Daddy and Uncle Connor!" Rachel said.

_Video, POV Jordan:_

_We had moved out into the museum's main entrance for more space to battle. When we arrived, we could hear police sirens, but no police officers had entered the building yet._

_Connor gave the first command "Charizard, use Iron Tail on Aerodactyl, then Fire Blast on Armaldo."_

_"Armaldo use Earthquake! Aerodactyl, use Ancient Power on Charizard!" Emmanuel commanded his Pokémon._

_"Marshtomp jump before Earthquake hits you, then use Mud Shot on Armaldo!" I called._

_Marshtomp was able to get out of the way of Armaldo's attack, but he missed with the Mud Shot. Charizard, who was in the air before Earthquake landed, was the first to land a hit, just as Aerodactyl was preparing to use Ancient Power. Charizard's tail began to gleam like it was made of steel, then Charizard swung around, stricking Aerodactyl hard across the face. Aerodactyl was shaken and had been stopped from using its attack temporarily, but it was not beaten yet. Charizard then loosed a human-shaped blast of flame at Armaldo._

_"Armaldo dodge, and use Slash on Marshtomp! Aerodactyl use Ancient Power on Charizard!" Emmanuel commanded his two Pokémon. Armaldo sprinted faster than one would have thought possible, it dodged the Fire Blast, which hit the stone wall, but did no other damage otherwise. Aerodactyl began to levitate boulders from the floor in front of it. Then the rocks flew directly at Charizard, who was just barely able to dodge the attack._

_"Marshtomp get out of the way before that Slash lands, and hit Armaldo with Water Gun as it goes by." I commanded. Marshtomp responded just in time, spraying water at the large Pokémon. Armaldo still swung, but only hit the steady blast of water. The attack, however, didn't seem to be doing a great deal of damage to Armaldo. I decided to change tactics._

_"Marshtomp start using Mud Shot!" I called out._

_"Aerodactyl, use Hyper Beam on Marshtomp!" Emmanuel called out just after I gave my command. Aerodactyl's mouth began to glow brightly, and the light gradually began to fill the Pokémon's mouth until it appeared to be solid._

_"Charizard, use Flamethrower on Aerodactyl, don't let it fire that Hyper Beam." Charizard instantly launched a stream of flames at Aerodactyl. The fire engulfed the enemy Pokémon, but it hit too late. Aerodactyl launched a massive beam of light that flew rapidly toward Marshtomp just before Charizard took him out of the fight._

_"MARSHTOMP, GET OUT OF THE WAY NOW!" I cried, with horror evident in my voice. Marshtomp stopped his assault on Armaldo, who had taken a lot of damage from the Mud Shot, and jumped away from both Armaldo, and the Hyper Beam, but the jump didn't take him far enough from the blast. Armaldo was still recuperating from Marshtomp's assault and, as a result, was unable to avoid taking a lot of damage from the resulting explosion, and collapsed directly after. Marshtomp, despite his best efforts to move, did not get out of the way fast enough. The explosion launched him nearly through the doors out of the museum. I looked on in shock as my first Pokémon was sent into a sprawling skip across the hard, granite floors, until he eventually came to rest right by the doors._

_"MARSHTOMP!" I cried, terrified that he may have died from the impact. I ran to him, and listened for breathing. I couldn't hear anything for almost a minute, and I began to get choked up. Behind me, I heard the sound of a Pokémon being released. Emmanuel gave a command, but I didn't hear, nor comprehend it, until there was an explosion on the ceiling, but I didn't care, all I was worried about was whether my friend would be alright. That was when Marshtomp began to cough, but weakly. His breath came raggedly, but he was still alive. Connor came over to me, and put a hand on my shoulder._

_"Jordan, Emmanuel just escaped on an Archeops, we won," he said._

_"Yeah," I said stoically. "But I lost."_

_Video End, POV: Ash and Rachel_

Ash was in shock. Had he just watched Marshtomp die? That question was answered when a scrolling message went through the screen. _Jordan was teleported to the Pokémon Center shortly after this battle. Marshtomp was on death's doorstep until Arceus himself came to the Pokémon Center and revived Marshtomp to perfect health. After this, Jordan became one of the greatest Pokémon Trainers in the world, but he never took a challenge that he wasn't ready for. We left the crater from this battle to teach trainers this lesson so they don't have to learn it firsthand._

Ash then looked at Rachel, who was in tears. Ash grabbed her and hugged close to comfort her. "It's alright. You know that Swampert is alive and stronger than ever," he said.

"I know, Daddy told me about how he had almost lost Swampert once, but I always thought that he meant it had been stolen or that they had been separated for a while. I never imagined that this was what he meant," Rachel said with tears flowing from her eyes. It was getting late now, so Ash took Rachel back to the Pokémon Center and comforted her in private, since she was still a little shaken up. When she was finally okay, both trainers went to bed. "H-hey Ash?" Rachel said quietly.

"Yeah Rachel?" Ash asked.

"Could you stay in my bed with me?" she asked shyly.

"Uh, sure Rachel," Ash said. He had never been offered to sleep in the same bed as a girl, especially not any girl he traveled with. He decided to not let this opportunity pass. He joined Rachel in bed and held her close.

"Thank you Ash. This means a lot to me," she said. With that, they were soon fast asleep.


	6. Burning Cole

_Burning Cole_

Ash and Rachel were walking around the city, trying to find their way to the gym. They were pretty disoriented by the buildings. That was when they saw an Officer Jenny. "Officer Jenny!" Ash called out. That morning, they had seen that Pitt City's Gym was a steel-type gym, led by a man named Cole.

"Yes, how can I help you?" Jenny asked.

"We are looking for the gym. Can you tell us how to get there?" Rachel asked.

"Yeah, you're almost there. Just go three streets that way, and then turn right," Officer Jenny said.

"Thank you very much," Ash said. He and Rachel followed the directions and saw the gym exactly where Officer Jenny said it would be. They entered, and saw that the all walls and the floor were made of a titanium alloy. A lone man was in the gym. He had a massive build, standing at nearly 6'5" with a strong muscular build. He wore nearly all black and had a bald head. He also wore a thick black cape (like Darth Vader's cape).

"Welcome challengers! I am Cole, the Leader of this Gym. I assume that you are here for a gym battle," he said with a deep and commanding voice that sounded like a mining foreman. "Might I ask the names of my challengers?"

"I am Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town," Ash said.

"Wait, as in the Ash Ketchum who challenged Diantha?" Cole asked, intrigued suddenly.

"And I am Rachel Moul," said Rachel.

Cole's eyes lit up at that. "Daughter of Jordan?" he asked. "Ah, I remember when Jordan battled me. He had a Gible that evolved mid-battle and was able to defeat my strongest Pokémon."

"Yeah, but he never told me about his gym battles," Rachel said.

"Typical of the Moul family," Cole said with a laugh. "Anyway, in terms of business, who is me battling first?"

"I'll be first," Rachel said as she stepped forward.

"Great. Does a two-on-two battle sound good to you?" Cole said with a nod.

"Sure," Rachel said. Ash went to the stands, Cole went to the leader's box, and Rachel went to the challenger's box.

Cole called out as he threw his first Pokéball. "Go, Magneton!"

"Go Drilbur!" Rachel said as she sent out her newest Pokémon.

"You have the honor Rachel," Cole called.

"Drilbur, use Dig" she called. Drilbur began to spiral rapidly and angled his body toward the ground. He began drilling into the ground. The titanium floor gave way surprisingly quickly.

"Magneton, Magnet Rise!" Cole called. A few bolts of electricity appeared between Magneton and the floor. "Now none of your ground attacks will work. Nice try, but I know how to counter Magneton's weakness to ground-type attacks. So what will you do about this?"

"Drilbur, come back up and use Metal Claw!" Rachel called out. Drilbur burst through the floor underneath Magneton, its claws shimmering metallically. The mole Pokémon swung its claws, slashing the steel Pokémon.

"Magneton, Tri Attack!" Cole called out. A white triangle shot directly at Drilbur. It almost hit, but Rachel would have none of it.

"Drilbur, dodge and use Metal Claw again!" Drilbur leapt over the Tri Attack and swung both claws across its body, slicing the magnetic Pokémon's face. This time, Magneton fell to the ground and fainted.

"Good, you possess the same skills as your father. This next Pokémon will not be so easily defeated. Go, Lairon!" The steel Pokémon roared with confidence.

"Drilbur, Dig!" Rachel commanded again, this time she knew that Magnet Rise would not be a factor. Cole grinned.

"Earthquake," he commanded calmly. Lairon stomped on the ground causing it to quake rapidly. Drilbur could be heard crying out as rocks fell on top of it. A minute later, Drilbur broke through the floor, but it had fainted. "Sorry to disappoint you, but that tactic won't work against my Pokémon."

"Understood, but you can't blame a girl for a trying!" Rachel said. "Now return Drilbur. I choose Braixen!" She sent out her psychic fire fox.

"Lairon, use Iron Tail!" Cole commanded. Lairon's tail began glowing white as he charged toward Braixen.

"Braixen, use Flamethrower to counter that attack!" Braixen took the stick wand from its tail, which launched a stream of fire directly at the Lairon. Lairon was still able to hit Braixen with its tail, hard. Braixen slid back, but it looked like the fox was fine. Lairon was glowing red hot, but it was still standing. "Nice job Braixen!" Rachel called out. "Now, use Flamethrower again!" Braixen used another stick and launched another jet of flames at Lairon. This time, it was enough to defeat Lairon.

Cole was shocked. "Well, you have the skills of your father. Congratulations Rachel. Now, here is the Platinum Badge," he said as he held out the badge to Rachel. The badge was a diamond with no design. It was made of platinum alloy. "Now, Mr. Ketchum, come down here and face me."

Ash nodded as he came down from the stands. Pikachu ran toward Rachel and leapt into her arms. "Pika-Pika!" he said.

"Thank you Pikachu, you're such a nice Pokémon," Rachel said with a smile.

"Yeah, congratulations Rachel," Ash said.

"Thanks Ash, now go and win your battle for me," Rachel said.

In a minute, Ash was in the challenger's box, and Cole was in his box. "Alright Ash, this is another two-on-two battle, I will start with this Pokémon!" Cole threw a Pokéball, releasing a Lucario. Ash was shocked. It had been a while since Ash had seen a Lucario.

"Well, if you are picking a Lucario, I will choose my Infernape!" Ash called. The fire ape Pokémon pounded its chest and breathed some fire as it got ready to fight.

"Lucario, use Aura Sphere!" Cole said. Lucario created a ball of aura and prepared to launch it directly at Infernape.

"Infernape, dodge and use Mach Punch!" Ash commanded. Infernape ran toward the Aura Sphere, flipping over it. Its fist glowed bluish white as he sprinted toward Lucario. It landed the punch in Lucario's gut. "Now, use a close-ranged Flamethrower!" Infernape's mouth opened, letting out a jet of fire, scorching Lucario's face.

"CLOSE COMBAT!" Ash and Cole called simultaneously. Both Pokémon began fighting like Bruce Lee and Chuck Norris in _Way of the Dragon_. It didn't take long for both to separate, but Lucario grimaced and fell to one knee immediately.

"Infernape finish this with a Flamethrower!" Ash commanded. Infernape launched another jet of fire.

"Lucario dodge and use Bone Rush!" Cole called out. The jackal leapt into the air, dodging the fire and forming a bone out of aura. It angled itself toward Infernape, spinning the bone like a staff.

"Mach Punch!" Ash called out. At just the right time, Infernape punched through an opening in Lucario's defenses and hit it across the face. Lucario went sprawling, and was knocked out. Cole just gave an impressed whistle.

"Well, that was an amazing strategy. Your Infernape is quite strong, but I wonder if it will be strong enough to defeat my next Pokémon. Go, Steelix!" he called out. The next Pokémon was an enormous steel snake, but unlike most Steelix, it was not steel grey. Instead, it looked to be pure gold. Ash knew that this was a shiny Pokémon, just like his Noctowl, but this Steelix just looked strong.

"Infernape, use Flamethrower!" Ash called out.

"Steelix, use Sandstorm, and then follow it up with an Iron Tail," Cole said calmly. The Steelix straightened itself and spun its mid-section to deflect the Flamethrower. When the sandstorm died down, Steelix's enormous tail swung around, slamming into Infernape, sending it flying into the wall. The fire monkey fainted after that.

"Infernape, return!" Ash said. He thanked Infernape for his sacrifice, and then chose his next Pokémon. "Go, Typhlosion!" This would be Ash's first battle with Typhlosion since it had evolved, so he knew it would be good, especially since it was able to defeat Jasmine's Steelix when it was only a Cyndaquil.

"I see, so you went with two fire-type Pokémon to combat my steel-type Pokémon. Let's see how right you are about that. Steelix, Hyper Beam!" Cole called out. Steelix began charging energy in its mouth before shooting the gigantic beam at Typhlosion.

"Flame Wheel!" Ash called out. Typhlosion sprinted toward Steelix, dodging the Hyper Beam as he became cloaked in fire. In a few seconds, Typhlosion had closed the distance between himself and Steelix. He leapt into the air, slamming into the metal snake's head.

Cole just chuckled. "I see. Your Typhlosion is quite fast, but now it's in the perfect spot for Steelix to use Crunch!" Steelix flew at Typhlosion, its mouth agape.

It was Ash's turn to laugh. "Typhlosion, use Fire Blast into Steelix's mouth, then dodge at the last second!" Typhlosion did as commanded, launching the human-shaped jet of fire directly into Steelix's mouth. The steel snake closed its mouth and looked to be in pain. It opened its mouth and launched its own version of Flamethrower, but Typhlosion was already at a safe distance. Steelix kept coughing up smoke before it fainted, landing hard. Ash had Typhlosion return to its Pokéball, and since he had won the battle he sent out his Croconaw (**Author's Note:** Totodile evolves in Kalos, I'm actually predicting that) and told it to use Hydro Pump to cool down Steelix's mouth. Croconaw did so, and Cole had Steelix return to its Pokéball when it was safe to do so.

"That was another great battle Ash, you have truly demonstrated your skill, as well as your compassion when you cooled down Steelix. Here is the Platinum Badge. Wear it proudly," Cole said as he handed Ash the Platinum Badge. Ash pinned the badge to the inside of his jacket like he used to do all the time and Rachel came to join him.

"Great job Ash, you never cease to amaze me when you battle Pokémon," she said with a blush. Cole just chuckled. This wasn't the first time he had seen a Moul falling in love in his gym, although it was much slower than Jordan and Sarah's romance had been.

"So, where will you two be going next?" Cole asked.

Rachel answered before Ash could. "We are heading to Murkwood City so we can battle Jade for our next badge."

"Ah, Jade, she is a dark ninja beauty. Don't let your guard down, or she will rip you apart," Cole said with a smile.

"Thanks for the advice. I guess we should head to the Pokémon Center for the night, shouldn't we?" Ash asked Rachel.

"Alright, let's go," Rachel said. "Thank you for the battle Cole!"

"No problem, by the way, you should stop by Seth's Dragon Breeding center before you leave the city. He can get you a powerful dragon Pokémon if you need one," Cole said as they left.

"That actually sounds like a great idea. What do you think Rachel?" Ash asked.

"I was planning on it already. Daddy called Seth to tell him I would be stopping by, and Seth agreed to give me a dragon Pokémon," Rachel said.

"How does Jordan know Seth?" Ash asked.

"Seth is the one who gave Daddy his Garchomp while it was only a Gible, and Mom got her Dragonite from him while it was only a Dratini," Rachel said. Ash just chuckled and shook his head.

"Well, you seem to have some serious connections through Jordan, don't you?"

"Yep, sure do," Rachel said with a sly wink to show that she was intentionally bragging to annoy Ash. Ash laughed to himself as they entered the Pokémon Center and got their Pokémon healed. It was getting late, so Ash and Rachel went back to their room. That was where Rachel turned to Ash and surprised him by kissing him on the lips. Ash almost resisted, since he had only ever kissed Bianca (or maybe it was Latias, he was still confused about that), but he quickly relaxed into it. Pikachu rolled his eyes as he leapt off of Ash's shoulders, curled up in the center of Ash's bed and began to pretend he was asleep. Ash could tell that this would be a good night.

**So, there you have it. Ash and Rachel kissed. Anyway, I welcome reviews and suggestions for how the story should go. I will try to update this at least every week, but I will try to find time to update more often.**


	7. Dragon Pokemon Park

_Dragon Pokémon Park_

Ash and Rachel walked for a while, and soon arrived at Seth's Dragon Breeding Park. There was a two-story farm house in front of a gigantic wooden fence. Ash had gotten his Gible from Professor Oak's lab in exchange for his Typhlosion. He thought it would be effective to bring his Gible to the dragon fields. Rachel was also happy that she would be meeting Seth, the world's greatest dragon breeder.

"Are ready to get your own dragon type?" Ash asked

"Yeah, I'm especially looking forward to this since this is where Daddy and Mom got both Garchomp and Dragonite. Seth is a bit of a cowboy though," Rachel said.

Ash chuckled. "I don't doubt it." They got closer and saw a man about twenty years older than Jordan sitting on a rocking chair with a flannel shirt, some blue jeans, a glass of sweet tea, and a cowboy hat on his head. He also had a stalk of wheat hanging out of the corner of his mouth. When he saw Ash and Rachel coming he smiled and tipped his hat. "Howdy, how can I help you two trainers?" he asked.

"I'm Ash Ketchum and this is Rachel Moul. We heard that this was the famous dragon breeding center," Ash said.

"It is. My name is Seth," he then looked at Rachel. "You look like your mother more than your father," he said.

"Wow, not too many people know that I'm Jordan's daughter without asking about my relations first," Rachel said.

"Well, I knew both of your parents, and when your profession is breeding you get good at seeing parents in their children. Anyway, are you ready to head to the fields?" Seth said.

"I am!" Rachel said.

"And you, Ash?" Seth asked.

"I'm ready, but I already have a Gible," Ash said.

"Oh, that's no trouble, you can never have too many dragon types," Seth said with a laugh. "Besides, I have far more than just Gible. I have every dragon Pokémon that is not legendary. Now, let's go." They all walked toward the gigantic wooden gates and Seth opened the gates. Ash and Rachel were awestruck by what they saw. The area was a Pokémon paradise. There were mountains and deserts. It looked like a miniature Hoenn region, although the mountain was snow-capped, not a volcano like Mt. Chimney. This didn't even cover all the dragon Pokémon flying or walking around. There were Salamence, Goodra, Dragonite, and even Flygon flying around. A Hydreigon sat on a ledge on the mountain while Garchomp walked around the base of the mountains and in the desert area.

"So, what do you two want in terms of dragons?" Seth asked.

"I was thinking of getting something that's easy to handle, but strong," Rachel said.

"Sounds like you may want a Deino," Seth said.

Rachel's eyes lit up. "You have those?" she asked excitedly.

"Yes, but they are only in the caves on the mountain. The trouble is that the parents can get very aggressive, so when we go there, be careful," Seth said. "And for you, Ash?"

"Well, I already have a Gible, so I won't need another. I have no preference for dragon-types, just so long as it can battle well," Ash said.

Seth pondered this for a while. "I think I can get you something like that. How about we get you a Bagon?" he said.

Ash's eyebrows rose with intrigue. He had seen a lot of the Bagon evolutionary line, and he knew that Salamence was powerful indeed. "I think that would be a great choice," Ash said.

"Good, Bagon live close to the mountain too. It looks like we will be able to do this in one stop. Let's get going," Seth said. They all walked over to a Jeep and started driving toward the mountain. "I should let you both know that the dragons here are wild, so you will have to battle them before catching them, however they are more willing to be captured than normal dragons. Also, the mothers tend to be very protective of their young," Seth told them.

"Yeah, Mom was sure to tell me about what happened when Daddy caught his Gible. The mother Garchomp scared the Mom senseless," Rachel said.

"HA! I remember that like it was only yesterday. Jordan pet that Garchomp like it was just a kitten," Seth said. "I'm not surprised that your mom told you about that. She was shrieking her head off in fear." Ash laughed. He would have to ask Rachel for the whole story later because they had arrived at the mountain and were right by the caves. "Alright Rachel, let's go and find that Deino."

Seth picked up a large flashlight and turned it on as they all entered the cave. They searched for hours before they finally saw a Deino sleeping in the shadows. Ash saw it and nudged Rachel. "Throw a Pokéball at it," Ash said. Rachel nodded with excitement before throwing the Pokéball at Deino. Due to Deino being asleep, it didn't even put up a fight and was captured.

"Great job Rachel!" Ash said. He spoke too soon as a Hydreigon appeared, and it didn't look pleased that Deino had been captured. Ash was ready to beat it out of the cave but Seth quietly something.

"Stay calm, everybody. This is the mother of that Deino. She is just testing Rachel to see if she is strong enough to care for her offspring." All three of Hydreigon's heads glared at Rachel before the center head began to soften its appearance and it licked her face. Rachel was giddy with excitement.

"So, I guess I won you over. I promise to take care of your baby. It will be a big, strong Hydreigon before you know it, and it will achieve great things along the way," Rachel said as she pet Hydreigon's necks. The Hydreigon then left peacefully, as did Ash and Rachel. It was now Ash's turn to capture a Bagon.

Ash, Rachel, and Seth then began to walk around the base of the mountains, searching for a Bagon. A few minutes into the search, Ash heard the cry of a Dragonite overhead, and it was getting closer. Seth looked quite happy "Why hello there Bessy!" he called out.

Ash looked at Seth. "You named that Dragonite Bessy?" he asked. "I thought all the dragons here were wild."

"Well, Bessy is my Dragonite. I raised her from an egg, and she is the mother of all the Dragonite, Dragonair, and Dratini here. You'll also find that she is quite friendly," he said. Bessy landed quickly, tackling Seth before licking his face. Seth was laughing deeply. "It's great to see you too Bessy. Could you please let me up?"

Bessy got up after a few minutes and walked over toward Ash and Rachel. "Hey Bessy, it's great to meet you," Ash said. Dragonite nuzzled him a little to greet him, then she did the same to Rachel, but she sniffed Rachel as if she recognized the scent.

Rachel giggled. "You must smell my parents on me. I'm surprised that you remember them after so long."

Seth broke the moment. "Hey Bessy, have you seen any of the Bagon around?" he asked. Bessy nodded. "Please take us to them." Bessy leapt into the air and slowly flew toward where it had seen Bagon. There was just one problem: two enormous Salamence were flying nearby. Ash didn't let that deter him. If he was to become a Pokémon Master, he would have to pass this test.

They arrived a few minutes later and saw a big group of Bagon and Shelgon. The Salamence then landed, and they kind of glared at Ash and Rachel, as if to say that they were NOT welcome. That was at least until one of the Bagon came up to Ash and started to rub against his leg. "Well, you're a friendly little guy, aren't you?" Ash said as he picked up the little dragon.

"Pikachu Pi!" Pikachu said happily. That was when a Salamence roared and flew toward the group. It was snarling at Ash, as if to tell him to drop the Bagon of become nothing more than charcoal. Bagon then stepped in, pleading with Salamence to leave Ash alone. All the while, Ash remained calm, looking Salamence directly in the eye. Salamence eyed Ash suspiciously before leaning in and studying him. It snorted before walking away.

"I'm guessing that was Bagon's mother," Ash said.

"Yeah, but she's always been suspicious of strangers, especially those who want to capture her babies," Seth said. "Don't worry, she gave you her blessing to catch this Bagon." Ash was happy with that.

"Bagon, do you want to come with me?" Ash asked.

"Ba-bagon!" the Pokémon said while nodding. Ash smiled and took out an empty Pokéball and Bagon slapped the button. It was captured in no time. With that done, Ash, Rachel, and Seth all returned to the Jeep and drove back to the gates. When they arrived, the sun was setting.

"So, Ash and Rachel, have you decided where you will stay for the night?" Seth asked.

"No, we haven't," Rachel said.

"Well, you are both more than welcome to spend the night here, and my wife is one hell of a cook," Seth said.

Ash looked at Rachel, and both of them looked exciting. "That sounds amazing," both of them said. They entered the house, they were assaulted with such a delectable aroma that Ash, Pikachu, and Rachel stopped in their tracks just to keep smelling it. They heard a woman's laughter as they came into the kitchen. The source was a woman about Seth's age, with blonde hair, blue eyes and a gorgeous appearance for one her age. The table was full of delicious-looking food.

"I'm glad to see that you like the smell of my cooking," she said. "I am Dana. I'm Seth's wife."

"Glad to meet you," Rachel said. "I'm Rachel and this is Ash."

"Well, don't just stand there all hungry, please sit down and dig in. There is plenty of food," Dana said. Ash and Rachel didn't need to be told twice. Everybody ate the amazing dinner, which far surpassed even Cilan's cooking, and before long, Ash and Rachel were both in the guest bedroom about to go to sleep. Ash was on the couch, and Rachel was on the bed.

"So Rachel, I'm curious about when your parents came here," Ash said

"Alright, I will tell you the story," Rachel said. "It goes like this:"

_Flashback to Jordan's journey:_

_ It took Sarah and me an hour to get to the dragon breeder's home, which was set in a mountain range that led to Murkwood, and held the infamous Lava Pass. The breeder was sitting on his porch, waiting for us to arrive, and next to him was a woman. Behind the house was a gigantic, solid gate of metal, and from the other side came the roars of multiple dragons. The man looked to be about thirty, he was just less than six feet tall, had the build of a weight trainer, but his features gave visitors a sense of welcome. He had thick, black facial hair, and he wore a straw hat one would expect to see on a farm worker. The woman looked to be around five-foot-six and closer to twenty-five. She had shoulder-length, golden-blonde hair, smooth, tan skin, and icy-blue eyes. When they saw us, he stood up, and grinned, his teeth sparklingly white._

_ "Welcome, you must be Jordan and Sarah. Doctor Brinks told me a lot about you two. My name is Seth, and this is my wife, Dana." Dana gave a little smile, but Seth continued his introduction, "I have been named the best dragon breeder in the world for over ten consecutive years. Anyway, I already know why you are both here, so let's just go to the dragon fields. Do you two know what you are looking for?"_

_ Sarah spoke first "I am looking for a Dratini, but I want one that will be easy to train."_

_ Seth smiled, "I've got just the one for you Sarah, there is a Dratini here that is quite friendly and listens to nearly any trainer, but it still can battle like it is already a Dragonite. What of you Jordan?"_

_ I had to think, "I am not sure. I would like one that is versatile, powerful, and isn't afraid to battle."_

_ Seth had to think about my request for a while. "Hm, I think I know what dragon would fit that description. Before we go to the dragons, I should let you both know that you must still capture them like any other Pokémon, but they tend to be more willing than those you would see in the wild. Lastly, don't do ANYTHING to set one of the big guys off, you may escape a situation like that without a limb, at the very least."_

_ Seth opened the large gates to his dragon fields, and truly, Sarah and I both began marveling at the beauty of the place. There were mountains everywhere, and we could clearly see many fully evolved dragons roaming freely. We saw a Salamence on top of one of the mountains, as well as multiple Garchomp along the base of the mountains. By the water, we saw a huge Dragonite, and in the grasslands we could see a Haxorous. The only dragon we couldn't see was a Hydreigon, which was not known to come out during the day unless there was a very good reason. The entire area was like a painting of beauty and majesty._

_ Seth first took Sarah to where the Dragonite was so she could catch her Dratini. "Hello Bessy," Seth said to the Dragonite, which looked to be quite friendly. "Would you mind fetching Dratini for me?" Bessy smiled like a proud parent, then flew over the lake for a while before finally diving in. "Bessy was my first dragon, and she is the mother of all of the Dratini here. She is one of the most friendly dragons I have ever had the pleasure of raising."_

_We waited for five more minutes before Bessy resurfaced with Dratini by its side. "Thank you Bessy, if you want to watch this you can stay."_

_ Bessy first walked up to Sarah and started to inspect her like any mother would. Finally, Bessy gave Sarah a reassuring lick, as if to say that it was alright for Sarah to capture this Dratini._

_ That was when Sarah sent out Bayleef to battle Dratini. I watched as Sarah gracefully commanded her Pokémon until her dragon was tired enough to be captured. Sarah threw an empty Pokéball at Dratini, and there was a long lapse where Dratini struggled to break free. Try as it might, Dratini eventually stopped struggling, and was captured._

_ "Nice job Sarah!" I said, "You made it look easy."_

_ "Thank you Jordan. Now I hope you're ready to catch your dragon."_

_ Seth chuckled, "Well, the big problem with HIS dragon, is that it's at the base of the mountain, and it is very elusive. Also, the parents can be quite protective of the young."_

_ I was a little concerned about what Seth just said, "Which dragon are you talking about?" I asked._

_ "We are going to where the Garchomp roam."_

_ I was dumbfounded. Garchomp were known to be some of the most dangerous and aggressive Pokémon in the world and even the greatest of dragon trainers treated them with caution. They were also known, however, to be among the most powerful Dragons as well. I realized I had to say something about Seth's idea. "I don't know if I can handle a Garchomp yet, are there any other options for me."_

_ Seth let out a hearty laugh, "Oh, dear boy, I wasn't about to have you try to catch a fully evolved Garchomp. I was thinking that a Gible would best fit your needs." I visibly relaxed at that, but I was still nervous._

_ "Don't worry Jordan. Bessy will be with us in case there is any trouble. You will find that she is quite capable of controlling any dragon. Now, let's go get you that Gible."_

_ The three of us got onto Bessy's back and she flew us to the base of the mountain in about a minute. I was amazed at how fast a Dragonite could actually travel, despite having heard all the stories of them flying incredible distances in almost no time at all. When we landed and got off of Dragonite, I realized that the three of us were in a desert surrounded by three mountains. I could vaguely see a huge Garchomp at the base of one of the mountains, but it seemed to pay us no heed, and continued with whatever it was doing._

_ Seth approached me, with what appeared to be a flute in his hand. "Alright Jordan, this is a Gible call, it will only attract Gible to you, so you shouldn't have to worry about any Garchomp attacking. Do it when you are ready."_

_ I sent out Marshtomp, and put the call to my lips. I gave a hard blow, and a barely audible sound came out. We all waited for a while, but nothing came. The Garchomp on the mountain, however, seemed to take some notice, because it turned its head directly to me. I was starting to get a little more concerned with Seth's plan, but Marshtomp was looking excited. This would be his first battle since his revival, and he was eager to improve both himself and my team._

_ Finally, I saw a blue head crest, characteristic of a Gible, over a small sand dune. I looked to Seth, who made a motion to indicate that I should use the call again. I placed it to my lips, and gave another breath. The head crest snapped in our direction, and then it began to get closer. The Pokémon was short, with an orange chest, and a mostly blue body. Its head ended with what looked like a dorsal fin. The most dominant feature, however, was its massive mouth, which two rows of razor-sharp, serrated teeth._

"_Marshtomp, once you have a close shot, use Water Gun." I said so Gible couldn't hear me. We waited a total of thirty seconds before Gible came charging at Marshtomp, and it looked like it was happy to battle. Just as Gible got within a few inches of landing a solid hit, Marshtomp launched a torrent of water that sent Gible back a few feet. "Now Marshtomp, if this Pokéball fails don't let it escape the area," I commanded as I threw an empty Pokéball at the temporarily dazed Gible. The ball took in the dragon, and landed in the desert sand. It started to rock violently, and I became concerned that I had thrown the ball too soon. That fear, however, proved to be unfounded, as the ball stopped rolling, and the red light at the center turned back to white. I recalled Marshtomp, giving him time to rest._

_I picked up the Pokéball holding my newly captured Pokémon. I was just as happy as I had been when I captured Beldum, but, as a huge shadow fell over me, I realized that I didn't have the time to celebrate like I had done when I captured Beldum. I looked up, and I felt my eyes go wide with fear. I had been so focused on Gible that I hadn't noticed the Garchomp starting to fly toward me._

_ The giant Garchomp came hurtling at the ground right behind me. I realized that I couldn't get away safely even if I tried, and I suddenly realized how Marshtomp had felt when Aerodactyl had used that fatal Hyper Beam. So I stood my ground as it landed on its feet and causing the ground to vibrate under its weight. I would not be letting out any of my Pokémon, while still taking a complete leap of faith that this massive Pokémon wouldn't kill me._

_ "JORDAN, RUN!" I heard Sarah shout hysterically just before Seth covered her mouth, telling her to not draw attention to herself. I merely stayed where I was standing. I knew that there was no way for me to get much more than a foot away from this behemoth before it responded, and I couldn't be sure that the reaction wouldn't kill me._

_ The Garchomp glared at me hard, but I remained calm, despite my gut-wrenching fear that I was doomed. The dragon was well over six feet tall and weighed easily two hundred pounds. Its underbelly was mostly orange with a small patch of yellow at the base of the tail, but most of its skin was a navy blue. It had a single gigantic dorsal fin on its back that looked like it belonged to a shark. Each arm was thin compared to the rest of the body, but they clearly had a great deal of strength to them, and just before the elbow were two tooth-like spikes. On the other side the elbows were blade-like shark fins with a single claw at the end of the arm. Its tail ended with two shark fins on their tips making the tail have a rudder of sorts. Its legs were thick, and on both thighs were two more tooth-like spikes, and its feet were flat with three toes, each ending in sharp claws. Lastly, its head was mostly flat except for two bullet-shaped bulbs on the sides of its head. The snout was a sharp dip toward its large jaws, with a yellow marking at the snout. The mouth was full of razor sharp teeth, and its amber eyes were just under the snout._

_It walked up to me, and then brought its head down so I could look it directly in the eye. I could hear the deep rumble of the dragon's breathing, which didn't give me the impression that this Pokémon wanted to hurt me. Rather, it gave the impression that it was waiting for me to say or do something._

_ I started to slowly move my hand up to its massive head, which caused Garchomp's eyes to dart in my direction, but it did not growl, or show any negative reaction to my movement. My hand came to rest on Garchomp's snout, and I was surprised when Garchomp responded by moving into the contact, almost like a Meowth or Persian would when being pet. I looked deeply into Garchomp's eyes, and I could tell why this Garchomp had come. This was the mother of the Gible I had just captured, and she wanted to make sure that I was a good trainer. I also got an unspoken message to take care of Gible, and keep him safe. With that, the Garchomp leaped into the air and flew back to where it had been standing before._

_Flashback End:_

"Wow, that's an amazing story," Ash said. "Your father really was an amazing trainer."

"Yeah, he was back in his day, but you already know that," Rachel said. "Now, let's go to sleep and get ready to go through the Lava Pass tomorrow. Now, why don't you join me in the bed?" Ash agreed, but Pikachu just remained on the couch, glad to have the space all to himself. When Ash and Rachel got comfortable, they both fell asleep, Ash unconsciously putting his arm around Rachel while they slept.

**Hope you enjoyed my longest chapter yet. As always, reviews and suggestions are welcome, but please read **_**Becoming a Master: My Pokémon Journey**_** before suggestions on gyms and geography of the American Region. All other suggestions are fair game. Thank you.**


	8. Lava Pass and Murkwood City

**Hey everybody, here is another installment to Ash Goes American. Ash and Rachel are on their way to Murkwood City, home of the Dark-type Gym.**

_Lava Pass and Murkwood City_

Ash and Rachel had woken up early that day (and it was early for Rachel, not for Ash). They were preparing to get through the infamous Lava Pass, the home to almost every fire-type Pokémon in the world, much like Mt. Basteel, but for fire Pokémon. There were also multiple rock Pokémon. At about noon, both Ash and Rachel stood at the entrance to the cave, which was made almost entirely with obsidian. Ash could feel the heat radiating from the entrance; he could only imagine how hot the cave was inside.

"Well, we aren't going to get anywhere just by standing around," Rachel said slyly. "I am going in." She then started walking.

Ash just laughed and followed his friend. As he expected, the heat got more intense as they went. They entered the main chamber and gasped in awe. "This is amazing!" Ash said. The caverns were incredible. It was made entirely out of obsidian which reflected the red glow of the lava flowing as a river through the cave. Ash had never seen so many fire-type Pokémon in one place before. It was quite astounding. There were Slugma and Magcargo sitting by the river of lava. There were Rapidash and Houndoom running around the cave, as well as a few Geodude, Graveler, and Golem.

"Yeah, this is where Mom found her Ninetales and Daddy got his Tyranitar. You should have a lot of luck finding strong fire Pokémon here," Rachel said.

"I hope so," Ash said. "I already have a lot of fire Pokémon, but I guess I could use more. Will you be searching for a Pokémon here?"

"I think I will be going after a rock Pokémon, or maybe a Houndour. I could use a dark-type Pokémon on my team," she said. "Now, let's split up and meet up at the entrance in about five hours."

Ash nodded happily as he walked around. During that hour, he used his Totodile and Corphish to help him capture a trove of fire Pokémon. He captured a Rapidash, a Magcargo, a Houndoom, and a Growlithe. He even found a Fire Stone. In the process, Ash's Corphish and Totodile both evolved. He had also watched Rachel capture a Houndour and train it until she was certain that it was powerful enough to take on Jade in the Murkwood Gym. They regrouped near the Murkwood exit, both soaked with sweat.

Ash and Rachel left the Lava Pass with little trouble, breathing in the cool mountain air when they left the caverns. "Oh man, it feels so good to be out of there. I don't think I could have taken any more of that heat," Rachel said with a sigh of relief as she sat on a tree stump a few feet away.

"Oh, come on Rachel. Where is that 'I'm going in first' attitude?" Ash asked jokingly.

"Shut it Kanto Boy," Rachel said playfully. "That was five hours ago." Ash then saw that Rachel was really exhausted, so he got his canteen, and despite his own thirst, Ash gave the last of it to Rachel. He knew Pikachu was alright, because the Pokémon had somehow pulled out his own canteen out of nowhere. Rachel and Ash were equally confused about how he did that, but Rachel didn't care too much, she just gratefully accepted Ash's canteen, since hers was empty. "Wait, what about you?" she asked before she took a drink, showing her concern.

"I will be fine, don't worry Rachel," Ash said kindly.

"Alright, if you insist," she said as she drank the last of the water. The sun was setting in just the right way while she drank. Ash couldn't tear his gaze away from the beautiful sight. Rachel's body was glistening in just the perfect way that she looked to be gleaming gold from a combination of sweat and sunlight.

Rachel noticed Ash staring, so when she stopped drinking she looked at him, smiled and asked "Are you enjoying the view?"

Ash shook himself out of his daze when she said that, realizing just how obvious his stares had been. "I'm sorry," he apologized quickly.

"Oh don't worry about it, but you didn't answer my question. Are you enjoying the view?" she said with a slyly seductive tone.

Ash was dumbstruck, whenever his other travel partners had caught him staring, they would either get angry (Misty), leave him to travel on their own (May and Dawn), or just laughed at him (Iris). Serena was almost okay with it, but then Bonnie had to go and make things awkward between them while Clemont just laughed about it since she wasn't doing the embarrassing 'You're a keeper' routine to a girl on his behalf. Serena just left because it was too awkward after that. He decided to tell the truth, seeing as how Rachel was even more accepting of Ash. "Oh hell yes," he said. Rachel smiled.

"Well, you may want to close your mouth, or flies may get in there," Rachel said as she started to walk toward the Pokémon Center, intentionally swaying her hips seductively. Ash was left in awe for a little while, but shook himself out of it and caught up to her.

"Rachel, what are flies?" he asked.

"I don't know. I'm pretty sure they are one of those animals that aren't Pokémon" she said. With that, she grabbed Ash's hand, holding it tightly as they walked to the Pokémon Center.

"Oh well, it doesn't matter. We should get to the Pokémon Center and get a room for the night before exploring Murkwood," Ash said. Rachel agreed. An hour later, Ash and Rachel had a room and were on their way through the city, but they were getting hungry. So they looked for a little while until they just decided to go to McMinun's, a local fast food restaurant. They enjoyed a meal of cheeseburgers and fries (Pikachu had plenty of ketchup. Rachel found it oddly amusing that a Pokémon loved ketchup so much), and returned to the Pokémon Center.

"Have you decided on the team that you will use against Jade?" Rachel asked.

"Well, since she is a dark-type trainer, I think I will use Hawlucha, Infernape, and Sceptile," Ash said.

"Why Sceptile," Rachel asked, confused.

"You will see tomorrow. Sceptile is one of my strongest Pokémon," he said. "What about you? Have you chosen who you will use?"

"Braixen will sit this one out, instead I will use Fearow, Houndour, and Excadrill," Rachel said. Ash nodded. He agreed with her judgment because no good could possibly come from Braixen fighting in a dark-type gym. "On a different note, I have been curious about something. I heard that you were constantly chased by operatives of Team Rocket who did nothing but cause you trouble. Is that true?"

Ash sighed. "Yes, it was Jessie, James, and a talking Meowth. They were constantly after Pikachu since I first beat them in Viridian City when I first began my journey. They pestered me every single day for eight years straight. Somehow they were able to survive countless explosions, electrocutions, and multiple other attacks. They tried using gigantic robots, pitfalls, and even once, while in Hoenn, taking advantage of when Pikachu had amnesia so they could try to turn him against me. Eventually, they must have accrued such a massive debt that their boss, Giovanni must have fired them or worse," Ash said. "It was quite a shame, because during the few times that they actually did the right thing, they were successful. Or, during many of the Pokémon League Contests, they were there just to watch and made quite a lot of money just from selling food and paraphernalia. Plus, the only reason that they joined Team Rocket in the first place was because they didn't feel like they belonged anywhere else."

"Sounds like you were actually a little fond of them," Rachel said.

"Yeah, maybe a little because they were one of the few constants during my travels, albeit an annoying one," Ash said with a reminiscent tone. "It doesn't matter any way. I'm just glad that I came to the American League and met you," he said with a smile.

Rachel blushed. "Well, you sure know how to flatter a girl Ash," she said. "Either way, I think it is past time we went to sleep, Jade is going to be waiting for us tomorrow." With that, Ash and Rachel got into their beds, Pikachu curling up on top of Ash's chest, and fell asleep. It would be a long day of battling tomorrow.

**I hope you liked that chapter. There was not much battling, I know, but trust me when I say that the battle is coming, and it will be intense. After Murkwood City Gym, Ash and Rachel will be traveling through an abandoned Power Plant to get to Char City. As always, reviews and suggestions are welcomed.**


	9. The Ninja of Darkness

**So I just saw that Ash caught a Goomy in the XY series, so I will not include that in my story, sorry to those who like Goomy, I just think it sucks too much.**

_The Ninja of Darkness_

Ash was excited. This would be his third Gym battle, and hopefully his third badge, in the American League. Rachel was ready for this battle as well. It would be a good battle today. Ash had Hawlucha, Infernape, and Sceptile with him as well as his Palpitoad and Staraptor (and Pikachu of course). His battling squad was ready for anything that came his way. He and Rachel were walking to the gym, and in a few minutes they arrived at the gym which reminded Ash of Koga's gym in the Kanto Region.

"Are you ready to go in?" Ash asked.

"Yeah let's go," Rachel said. They walked through the door and were faced with solid darkness. Then the lights turned on.

"Welcome challengers," said a sweet feminine voice. "I am Jade, the dark ninja mistress." Ash and Rachel both saw the source. It was a woman dressed in traditional ninja garb with a masked cowl. They could only see her hands and eyes, but that wasn't what was important. What was important was the fact that they were to battle for the Stealth Badge.

"Nice to meet you Jade, I'm Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town, and this is Pikachu," Ash said.

"And I am Rachel Moul from Bath Town," Rachel said.

"A pleasure to meet you all," Jade said. "Rachel, I remember your father quite well. He was a great trainer, and this was where his Marshtomp evolved into Swampert." Jade then looked directly at Ash. "Sorry, but ladies first." Rachel just smirked playfully at Ash as she went to the trainer's box. Ash just chuckled and walked toward the stands. This would be a great battle. "This will be a three-on-three battle with no time limit and no substitutions for either side. Begin!" Jade said. "Go, Shiftry!" Out came the nutcracker-like Pokémon.

"Be careful Rachel, Shiftry are extremely fast!" Ash called out.

"I'll be fine Ash. I'm my father's daughter after all. Go, Houndour!" Rachel said. Houndour was ready to battle, and there was little doubt that it would battle with all its heart.

"You will have the honor," Jade said.

"Great. Houndour, use Fire Fang!" Rachel said. Houndour's mouth filled with flames as it charged at Shiftry.

"Shiftry, dodge and use Razor Wind!" Jade said. Shiftry leapt into the air, throwing a white sickle of wind at Houndour. Houndour was quick to dodge to the side before leaping high into the air, biting onto Shiftry's leafy hand. Shiftry cried out in pain as it tried to shake Houndour off of its hand, but it was unsuccessful until Rachel gave her next command.

"Houndour, let go and use Sludge Bomb!" she commanded. Houndour let go as Shiftry waved its hand up and was launched into the air as it fired multiple balls of brown sludge. These hit Shiftry hard, sending it into the ground. The Pokémon was able to stand up shakily, but it wasn't long before Houndour struck again. "Houndour use Flame Burst." Houndour shot a small ball of flame, which hit beside Shiftry before exploding into multiple flares. Those flares hit Shiftry, catching its mane of cotton on fire.

"Shiftry, use Gust on yourself to put out that fire," Jade commanded. Shiftry began spinning as a tornado formed around it. The fire was put out, but Rachel saw an opportunity and took it.

"Houndour, use Flamethrower!" Rachel called out. Houndour launched a jet of fire at Shiftry's cyclone, and just as the flames got to Shiftry, it stopped using Gust.

"Jump!" Jade commanded. Shiftry almost made it, but he was not fast enough. His leg got caught in the flames and got burned. It may have been a glancing blow, but it hurt a great deal. Shiftry fell to the ground, landing hard and fainting.

Ash was impressed. Houndour was Rachel's newest Pokémon, but it was fast turning out to be one of her best. Jade returned her Shiftry and picked her next Pokémon. "Go, Greninja!" she called. Out came a powerful-looking Greninja, which reminded Ash of his own. The only difference was that Ash's was much stronger.

"Rachel, be careful here too. Greninja aren't just fast, but they are also strong!" Ash yelled to Rachel.

"Thanks for the tip Ash, but I will be fine," Rachel said. "Now, Houndour use Sludge Bomb!" Houndour howled before shooting more balls of sludge, which almost made it to Greninja.

"Greninja, Substitute, and then use Water Shurikan!" Jade called out. A cloud of white smoke appeared and Greninja was replaced with a log. Greninja appeared to the side of Houndour and launched a stream of water shurikans. Those hit Houndour hard, sending it flying, it landed hard, but was resilient enough to keep battling.

"Great job Houndour, now use Solarbeam!" Rachel commanded. Houndour's back ridges began to glow white with energy. This would take some time.

"Greninja, use Power-Up Punch!" Jade commanded. Greninja's fist glowed white as he charged. He was within a few feet when Houndour was ready to shoot the beam.

"Fire your Solarbeam now!" Rachel called. Houndour followed the orders perfectly, firing Solarbeam at Greninja at the perfect moment. The frog held its ground, however, and was able to finish its own attack, punching Houndour and sending it flying.

Ash cringed as Houndour flew into the wall, where it fainted. But he wasn't too worried, since Rachel was still doing quite well in this battle. Now, it was a one-on-two battle. Jade smiled. "Go, Houndoom!" she called out as she sent out her next Pokémon, the evolved form of Houndour, and it looked powerful. Rachel was thinking about how to proceed, but quickly came to a decision.

"Go, Drilbur!" Rachel called out. She then released her drill mole. Drilbur also looked as ready to battle as Houndour had looked. "Drilbur, Dig!" Drilbur dug deep into the earth, drilling its way toward Houndoom.

"Houndoom, wait for it to come up and use Flamethrower!" Jade commanded. Drilbur shot out of the ground directly underneath Houndoom, drilling into the fire hell-hound's underbelly. The attack sent the Pokémon flying, but it quickly twisted and landed on its feet. That, however, was not the only thing that surprised everybody. That was when Drilbur began to glow white. Rachel couldn't believe her eyes. Drilbur grew into a powerful looking Excadrill.

"Excadrill, use Drill Run!" Rachel commanded. Excadrill leapt into the air and placed its claws into the shape of a drill and flew towards Houndoom while spinning rapidly like a drill.

"Houndoom, use Flamethrower!" Jade commanded. The hell-hound launched a jet of flames at Excadrill, but the drill Pokémon just plowed right through the flames until it slammed into Houndoom hard. Houndoom yelped in pain and it landed hard, sending up a cloud of dust. When the dust cleared, it was clear that Houndoom had fainted. Jade sighed. It wasn't clear whether she was smiling or if she was frowning, but Ash saw that she was content with how the battle went. Rachel was congratulating and thanking Excadrill when Jade approached her. "That was an amazing battle, and your Excadrill evolved at the perfect time to win that match. You have great bonds with your Pokémon," Jade said. "Here is the Stealth Badge." She held out the badge that looked like a ninja's mask and cowl.

"Thank you so much Jade," Rachel said.

"No, thank you for the amazing battle," Jade said.

"Now Ash, you're up!" Jade said with a confident gleam in her eyes. "I hope you're ready."

Five minutes later, Ash was in the trainer's box, Jade had picked her three Pokémon for this battle. "Ready for this three-on-three battle Ash?" Jade said.

"Bring it on!" Ash said.

"Go, Tyranitar!" Jade called out, sending out the monstrous rock Pokémon. Ash knew how to deal with this Pokémon.

"Infernape, I choose you!" Ash called out. The fiery ape came out, and it glared at Tyranitar.

"Ash, you may have the honor as the challenger," Jade called out.

"Infernape, Flare Blitz into Close Combat!" Ash called out. Infernape was cloaked in blue fire as it flew toward the Godzilla-esque Pokémon. It slammed into the Pokémon before beginning to kicking and punching Tyranitar rapidly. Tyranitar, however, remained strong.

"Tyranitar, use Earthquake!" Jade said.

"Infernape, Sky Uppercut!" Ash said. Infernape grabbed Tyranitar's armor and threw it into the air before it was able to launch its Earthquake. Infernape's fist began to glow blue as it leapt into the air. Infernape then slammed its fist into Tyranitar's gut. The giant Pokémon was flipped over Infernape and landed hard on its back. Jade was in shock to see that her Tyranitar had fainted. One of her strongest Pokémon had been completely dominated by this Infernape.

"Tyranitar return. Now, I choose you, Malamar!" She called. Out came the inverted squid Pokémon. Ash remembered Malamar from the Kalos region, they were both Psychic and Dark types. This would be tricky, but he was confident that Infernape could at least do some damage, if not take Malamar with him. "Malamar, use Psybeam!" Malamar fired a beam of rainbow energy at Infernape.  
"Infernape, use Flamethrower!" Ash commanded. Infernape launched a stream of fire at Malamar's Psybeam, those two attacks collided and there was an explosion in the center of the battlefield. "Now, Mach Punch!" Infernape darted through the smoke from the explosion, its fist raised as it sprinted at Malamar.

"Malamar, Psychic!" Jade commanded. Malamar's eyes glowed blue and Infernape was stopped in its tracks just minutes before the punch landed. "Now, throw it!" Jade commanded. Infernape was thrown into the wall. It was hurt badly, but not finished. It looked like Infernape was about to faint, but that was when Infernape's head flame began to expand and his face showed extreme determination to win. Ash knew what this was: Blaze.

"Infernape, use Flamethrower!" Ash said. This attack was much more powerful than earlier. The flames were twice as large and also twice as hot. Malamar had no chance; it was engulfed by the flames and was scorched like it was a dish at a Japanese restaurant. When the flames disappeared, Malamar was out of the battle. Unfortunately Infernape had used the last of his energy and collapsed.

"Great job Infernape, you did your best and I am proud of you," Ash said. "Now, I choose you, Sceptile!"

Jade returned her Malamar and sent out her next Pokémon. "Go, Pangoro!" she called.

Ash was ready for the big panda Pokémon. "Sceptile, use Quick Attack and Leaf Blade at the same time!" he called. Sceptile's arm leaves began to glow green and Sceptile flew directly at Pangoro, leaving a white streak behind it. Pangoro got a slash across the gut, as Sceptile passed, and the panda collapsed. "Alright! Great hit Sceptile!" Pangoro was out of the fight then and there.

"Congratulations Ash, you have won the Stealth Badge," Jade said as she returned Pangoro. Ash gave Sceptile a few rubs on its nose, thanking the Pokémon before returning it to its Pokéball. Jade presented Ash with his badge and Rachel joined them. As they left for the Pokémon Center, Rachel grabbed Ash's hand like they were dating. Pikachu leapt onto Ash's shoulder for a ride to the Pokémon Center.

Ash smiled. It is exactly this kind of thing that Rachel did that drove Ash crazy for her. He was now determined to make Rachel his girlfriend by the end of their journey, if not sooner. He could tell that Rachel was almost the perfect combination of all of his previous crushes, as well as a great quality of her own, he just couldn't name it.

At that moment, Rachel was thinking something similar. Ash had been a strong guiding force in her journey so far, and she felt like she could depend on him for almost anything. She had even done some research when Ash wasn't looking and had seen how many times Ash had saved the world, always without any concern for his own well-being. That was when Rachel realized that the quality she had seen in Ash was pure selflessness. So long as he kept others safe, he cared nothing for his own safety. This just made her want Ash even more than ever before. She decided that she would make Ash hers by tomorrow.

**I hope you enjoyed this. Rachel will eventually begin to battle the same teams as Ash does in gym battles, but it will be for badges 5-8. Reviews and suggestions are welcome as always.**


	10. The Power Plant

**Here is the next chapter of **_**Ash Goes American**_**. As always, please give reviews and suggestions, they are always welcomed.**

_The Power Plant_

Pikachu was riding on Ash's shoulders as Ash and Rachel traveled toward Char City, which is the greatest city in the American region. Rachel had told Ash that it made Lumiose City look miniscule and the streets were almost all made of black granite, and Pikachu could tell that Ash wanted to see this city in person. There was just one major obstacle to overcome, and Pikachu could sense a weak electric field that was getting closer. There were also a pair of smoke stacks on the horizon, but one seemed to have collapsed a long time ago.

Ash and Rachel were heading for an old, abandoned power plant to get to Char City. Ash looked over and noticed that Rachel wasn't exactly focused on where they were going. Instead, she seemed to be lost in her imagination.

"Hey," Ash called to her. "Are you alive in there?" Rachel jumped slightly.

"Oh, sorry Ash, I was just remembering what happened to Daddy when he passed through this power plant. This was where he caught his Raikou.

Ash was surprised. "I was wondering where he got that Pokémon" he asked.

"Didn't you know already?" Rachel asked.

"No, I didn't. Would you please tell me how it happened?" Ash asked, hoping to hear more about Jordan's adventures.

_Flashback POV: Jordan_

_ The next day, I was on my way to my next obstacle: an old power plant that had been abandoned for nearly fifty years. I had to fight nearly twenty trainers who thought they could beat me while on my way to the power plant. Not one of them had even landed a hit on my Pokémon. The area had a large population of electric-type Pokémon, but I was not interested in catching any of the Pokémon in this area. I had already picked my first choice of electric type, and all I needed to find to get it was a Thunderstone and an Eevee._

_Before I continue with my tale, I should tell you, Eevee is one of the most desireable Pokémon in history. Eevee itself, even without evolving, was a force to be reckoned with, and many people loved it for its looks. It is almost all brown, with white fur around its neck and at the tip of its tail. It looked, for all intents and purposes, like a cat. It had tall ears and big, black eyes. What really made it incredibly sought-after was that it was capable of evolving into eight of the eighteen known types, and each of its evolutions is among the most powerful of their respective types. Its evolutions were Jolteon, Vaporeon, Flareon, Umbreon, Espeon, Leafeon, Glaceon, and Sylveon._

_I was hoping to get a Jolteon, and there was supposed to be an Eevee Breeder in the next town, so my hope was to find a Thunderstone in the power plant, since this would be my best chance to find one. I would then go to the Eevee Breeder and get myself an Eevee._

_I neared the structure from a very badly overgrown grass area. I half expected to find some bug Pokémon or even a Rattata, which had the largest population of any Pokémon species in history, but I saw nothing at all. I was not focusing on the Pokémon; instead I was looking directly at the gigantic building before me._

_The power plant had three huge smoke stacks, with a base structure that easily had five floors to it. The entire building was made of concrete and steel. To the side of the building were the transformers that had been inactive for half a century. There was a really sign on the main door, it was written in blood-red paint, and it said: "DON'T ENTER, IT HAS TAKEN OVER."_

_I did not know what "it" was, but I didn't really care. I was not going to allow a fifty year-old warning scare me from my goals. I sent out Gabite and had him slash through the doors to the power plant, then recalled him. Even with the age of the warning sign, I was not about to get careless with my Pokémon in case the warning was still relevant._

_The doors fell open, releasing a rush of stale, ozone scented air. I walked into the building without any trouble. I had expected to see at least some electric-type Pokémon inside the structure, but I was shocked to find the place nearly deserted. There were a few hardhats and workman's gloves. The building itself was silent as a tomb, and it seemed to be empty, but I kept feeling like I was being watched as I began to traverse the building. I pulled a flashlight out of my pack, aiming it around the entire plant, hoping to catch the gleam of a Thunderstone, but saw nothing. So I continued on my way, my flashlight still shining in front of me. A few times, I thought I heard growling nearby, but whenever I pointed my flashlight to where it seemed to be coming from, there was nothing there. I was getting even more worried by this because every time I heard the growls, I could smell the strong scent of negatively charged air. I had gone through three floors in search of a Thunderstone, but I had found nothing of value. The growls continued through the factory, and, despite normally not being afraid of anything, I was starting to become scared shitless that I was being hunted by something that I could not hope to match._

_Just as I was about to give up on my search for a Thunderstone, I turned a corner and saw one in what appeared to be an office. It was sitting on a red pillow in a broken display case. I figured it had been left when whatever took over the factory first came. I went and grabbed the green stone with a lightning bolt design in the center of the stone. As soon as I placed the stone in my pocket, I realized that I had just seriously angered whatever had been stalking me, because an earsplitting roar came from directly behind me. I leapt at least a full meter into the air and away from the source. I turned to face this threat, and I came face-to-face with what many considered to be only a legend._

_I looked in fear and awe. The Pokémon before me was the legendary Raikou. He was the size of a small truck, and looked like the extinct saber-toothed tiger. He had a black ears and that black fur connected to a four pointed, metal plated nose. His head was wrapped in large white mane that came together between the ears. The fur around Raikou's eye, and around most of his body, was bright yellow, with white fur for his underbelly, and multiple black strips on the back and legs. His legs were as thick as small trees and each ended with three sharp claws. His tail, which sprouted from a white bulb of fur on his back, was blue in color, and shaped like a lightning bolt, ending with a star-like tip. On his back, however, was his most impressive feature: a mane of deep purple came from the back of his neck, and ran almost to his tail before swirling up like storm clouds._

_While Raikou's appearance was incredible, I had absolutely NO time to admire him, because he was about to attack with a fury I would never see again. I threw a piece of metal at its head, hoping to daze it. Unfortunately for me, while it seemed to hurt the Pokémon a little, it really only angered it, and caused it to charge at me. As it leapt at me, fangs bared, I dove under it and rolled toward the door to the office. I started a dead sprint for the exit, hoping that I could get enough distance between myself and Raikou before it could find me again. I found a good spot to sit and wait for the legendary tiger to grow tired of me, and luckily got a few minutes of rest, but I knew I couldn't stay there forever._

_I was still in shock that I had actually seen Raikou. I couldn't understand why it had chosen to live here. While a power plant was a fitting location for a legendary electric Pokémon, it still didn't make sense. All of the stories of Raikou said that he preferred to run freely through the world, not sit in an abandoned factory. I couldn't help but think that he HAD in fact run throughout the region for a while after taking this power plant for its home, and maybe it came back here to rest every so often. If I was correct, then it was just my luck that Raikou was here on the exact same day that I had come through._

_That was all the thinking I could get in before Raikou found me, and I had to run again. This time, however, I tripped on an old wire. I turned back to face Raikou, terrified that I would die then and there. I had only one hope to escape this predicament, and it was an absolute long shot, but I had no other options. So I did the only thing I could think of, and threw an empty Pokéball at him just as he pounced. Thankfully the Pokéball hit Raikou without him noticing until it was too late. The Pokéball hit the ground and began shaking violently. In the meantime, I sent out Pupitar, just in case Raikou broke free. To my absolute surprise, the Pokéball stopped shaking, and Raikou remained inside, accepting his capture. I recalled Pupitar then went over to Raikou's Pokéball._

_I picked up the newly occupied Pokéball, still not sure if I had imagined the whole thing, so I called for Raikou to come out of the Pokéball. Surely enough, Raikou came out, and it did not look very happy about its capture, but that look of anger faded slowly. I recalled Raikou, thrilled with the newest acquisition to my team. I then made my way to the exit, no longer concerned with using the Thunderstone on an Eevee, but I figured that some other Pokémon trainer would need it for one of their own Pokémon so I held onto it. I chose to not bother with an Eevee at all, since my team was nearly complete with an incredible array of types. I only needed was a fire type of some kind, but I was not about to turn around and return to the Lava Pass to get one. So I kept going to Char City._

_Flashback end_:

Ash was impressed. Jordan had captured Raikou without a battle at all, other than by chucking a pipe at its head. Raikou was incredibly strong on its own; he would hate to see it after it had been trained by a powerful trainer. "Wow, it seems that every time you tell me one of the stories about Jordan, I am more impressed with how strong Jordan was." Ash said.

They arrived at the door to the power plant, and saw a faded sign that read _DON'T ENTER __**IT**__ HAS TAKEN OVER_. The door itself had been sliced open in an _X_ fashion. Ash looked at Rachel, looking worried. "Don't worry Ash, that sign has been here since before Daddy went through here. It's referring to his Raikou," Rachel said with a slight giggle. Ash sighed with relief. He didn't want too much excitement today.

They walked through the door, and immediately smelled rust. There were collapsed parts of the floor, and a great deal of the machinery was rusted over. It was an impressive sight, and it made Ash want to explore a little more of this place. He knew it would be dangerous, but he was willing to take that risk. He had lost his Thunderstone (the one from Vermillion City) when he had traveled through the Unova region, so he was hoping to find another one here. He thought that maybe there was another one where Jordan had looked earlier, but he would search in as many places as possible until he found one. "Rachel, I'm going to look around this place for a while before we leave," Ash said.

"Alright, good luck to you, don't hurt yourself along the way," Rachel teased. "I will wait for you by the hole in the wall on the far side." Ash smiled and headed off, Pikachu at his heels as they began their search for a Thunder Stone. They searched for over three hours, so Rachel decided to go outside and train her Pokémon to pass the time and prepare for the Char City Gym, whose leader was actually named Ash, but his style was supposed to be extremely eccentric. After a long search, Ash came up completely empty-handed, so he figured he would forego the stone. Since Pikachu didn't want to evolve, Ash wouldn't really need one anyway.

Rachel was in the midst of training when she felt a tugging on the leg of her jeans from behind. She looked down and saw an Electrike, who gave her almost puppy-dog eyes. Rachel smiled and she began to befriend this little electric Pokémon. "Hello sweetheart," she said as she began to pet the Pokémon. "What are you doing here?" Electrike just nuzzled her hand, making Rachel just fall in love with her.

Ash left the power plant without so much as a small piece of a Thunderstone. "Alright, I give up," he said as he left the power plant and rejoined Rachel. Rachel just laughed.

"You were looking for a Thunderstone weren't you?" Rachel asked.

"I was," Ash admitted.

"I guess I should have told you that Daddy took the only one that was ever there," Rachel said with a laugh.

Ash's jaw dropped. Rachel had known what he was looking for and let him waste a lot of his time. Then he looked around, and began laughing. Rachel had used this time to get training in, and she had even captured a friendly Electrike in the meantime, and it was already looking powerful. "Couldn't have told me that earlier?" Ash said with a laugh.

"Well, if I had, I wouldn't have been able to get any training in, would I?" Rachel said with a sly wink as she recalled all of her Pokémon and walked in the direction of Char City. Ash just laughed and followed Rachel to the next city. It didn't take long for the two to see the city, and enormous didn't even begin to describe it. Ash could clearly see that Rachel was correct in saying that it made Lumiose City look small, but the gym was easy to see because it was an enormous coliseum with a theme of fire-type Pokémon.


	11. Char City

**Sorry for not updating in a while. I have been swamped during midterms. Now, Ash and Rachel are going to the Temple of Arceus and then they will battle in the Char City Gym and they will battle the Gym Leader, who is named Ash. I know it may get confusing, so I will use Ketchum instead of Ash when the battling gets underway. Rachel will battle this chapter, Ash will battle next chapter.**

_Char City_

Ash and Rachel sat at the Pokémon Center as they carefully picked their Pokémon for their next gym battle against Char City's Ash. They figured out that it would be a fire-type gym, so Ash had called Professor Oak and had his Croconaw, Buizel, and Greninja transported to him. Rachel, who had no water-types yet, was thinking hard about who she would use.

Rachel groaned with frustration. "Who could I battle with? The only one I have who is strong against fire-types is Excadrill, and he has a weakness to them as well."

Ash didn't know what to say. He didn't want to give her too much help or it wouldn't be from her effort alone. "What did Jordan do before he battled at the Char City Gym?" he asked.

"He went to the Temple of Arceus, but he had to battle Team Phoenix when he got there," Rachel said matter-of-factly.

"Maybe we can go there and get some inspiration," Ash said.

"Maybe," Rachel said. "Daddy also captured Ho-oh after visiting the Temple, so that helped him to completely overwhelm the gym leader."

Ash nodded solemnly. "Either way, let's go there and check it out. It couldn't hurt," he said. Rachel agreed, hoping that she would get inspiration from the Temple. The two trainers left the Pokémon Center and began to search for this major landmark of Char City. It didn't take long because the Temple was an enormous building of nearly solid marble with spiraling pillars and a gigantic dome with two Arceus statues standing at the apex of the dome and in front of the entrance to the Temple. Both Ash and Rachel were amazed with the architecture, but when they entered the building itself, the exterior looked like child's play. There were beautiful archways, golden and white pillars, and an incredible mosaic depicting the creation of the Pokémon world on the ceiling (like the Sistine Chapel). There were marble benches and a raised dais. On the dais was a beautiful altar made out of gold and white marble.

All Ash could do was gasp in awe. "This is incredible," he said in shock.

"I know; I can't believe that somebody built this place. And it was completed centuries ago on top of that," Rachel said with as much surprise as Ash had. That was when they noticed a screen with a video playing on it. "I wonder what that is." Rachel said curiously. She and Ash both walked over to it, where they saw that it was a lot like the video in the Pitt City museum, it centered around one of Jordan's achievements.

_Flashback, POV Change: Jordan_

_ I wandered through the city for a while, not sure where to turn to find this Temple. Then I turned a corner and saw a huge crowd of Team Phoenix members, all of whom were carrying pieces of machinery and were walking toward a huge marble building, which I safely assumed was the Temple of Arceus, since there was a marble statue of the Creator Pokémon on the top of the temple's dome._

_I followed the group of Phoenix members closely to hear any conversations between the grunts, but there were none. They continued until they reached the rectangular altar at the back of the temple. Once there, they began piecing together the machinery they had been carrying. I hid behind a large, spiraling pillar and watched as they worked. I held both Gabite's and Pupitar's Pokéballs, and I was prepared to throw any other Pokéball I needed to should the situation get worse. From there, I not only watched them carry out their work, I also noticed the spectacular structure around me._

_The dome was painted in a mural of Arceus creating the world as we knew it. I was incredibly impressed by the artwork, and I had never been one for art appreciation. The main area in front of the altar was mostly empty, with a few marble benches finely carved from the stone. The altar itself was not as sharply cut as the benches. It had a completely flat top that looked like it had been sanded down and polished to perfection, and for a base, it was carved into four legs that curved toward the center of the altar in an "X" shape. The whole altar was made of solid, white marble and was studded with diamonds on each corner. To say that the craftsmanship was breathtaking would have been an insult to the true beauty of the Temple._

_I watched for a while as the machine's assembly was completed. It surrounded the altar; at every corner there was a generator arm that came to conical points. That was when the temporary leader, who I realized was none other than Mike, pulled out a phone and made a call. All he said was "We are ready for you. Start your landing sir."_

_I had a fair guess as to who that grunt had just called, but I wasn't about to wait to take all of these Team Phoenix members alone, so I stepped out and sent out every Pokémon I had except for Raikou. I would need to save him for an additional scare factor. Needless to say, all of the grunts looked not only surprised, but slightly scared as well. There were more than a few grunts that were at the Pitt City museum raid and they clearly remembered me. They could also tell that I had gotten a lot stronger since our last encounter. They all sent out their Pokémon, mostly Golbats, and Mightyenas, but there were at least ten resurrected Pokémon, including a Carracosta and an Armaldo. There was a stalemate for a while where nobody moved._

_Mike was the first to step forward. "Well, if it isn't the biggest annoyance we have seen to date. We thought Emmanuel wasted your Marshtomp back in Pitt City, but it seems you have proven us wrong in that respect. Unfortunately for you, you still can't stop Emmanuel, no matter what Pokémon you have."_

_"Well, Mike, I guess I will just have to make due with kicking all of your sorry asses to the wall and back. Besides, this isn't even my full team. SAY HELLO TO MY NEW FRIEND!" I said as I threw Raikou's Pokéball into the air. Raikou came from his Pokéball, and roared loudly. This scared all of the Grunts even more, but Mike seemed most concerned since he had the most to lose if the operation failed._

_Mike took a second to speak, stuttering as he did. "That is indeed impressive that you have captured a legendary Pokémon, but it still can't help you, because, as you can see, it is nearly twenty-to-one odds against you, surely you can't hold us all off at once."_

_That was when Metang took on the evolutionary glow. He would be my first fully evolved pseudo-legendary Pokémon. For the first time ever, he came into contact with the ground, and then his arms rotated toward the floor, forming legs. Then two more legs sprouted from its back. His nose then spread into an "X" that went from the edge of the top of his form to the edge of the bottom. His "flying saucer" main body got wider and thicker as well. That was when the glowing ceased, and Metang's evolution was complete. He was now a Metagross._

_Now Mike looked scared. "Alright, that was impressive. I just hope you realize that you will be in a load of shit either way."_

_I was now tired of this game, so I commanded all of my Pokémon to use their most powerful attacks. "RAIKOU USE THUNDER! METAGROSS USE METEOR MASH! GABITE USE DRAGON RUSH! SWAMPERT USE HYDRO PUMP! PUPITAR USE EARTH POWER TO FINISH THEM OFF!"_

_All of the Team Phoenix Grunts gave commands to their own Pokémon, but nothing came out clearly, and only a few actually did anything, but it wouldn't have mattered if they had done anything at all._

_Raikou's purple mane started to glow blue with electricity, and storm clouds began to form inside the Temple. A single bolt shot out of Raikou's mane into those clouds. As soon as the clouds gathered all of the energy, they shot it in multiple bolts at the enemy Pokémon. Each one was halted in their tracks. The attacks, however, did not stop there. Metagross drew in his legs and began spinning, staying in the air by spinning as quickly as a propeller. He then flew up into the same clouds that Raikou had just generated. He came back down with the force of a meteor striking the earth. When Metagross had come back to the rest of my team, Swampert shot a gigantic stream of water from his mouth with greater force than any fire hose could achieve. The stream blasted every single Phoenix Pokémon, throwing them in multiple different directions. Gabite then charged into the ranks of the enemies, his whole body covered with dragon fire. Metagross took an opportunity to assist again, his eyes glowing blue with his psychic power. All of the Phoenix Pokémon were shrouded in a blue mist, then set up almost like bowling pins. Gabite came charging in, plowing through the entire horde of enemy Pokémon, and once again sending them flying before he returned as well. Each Pokémon got up slowly, thinking the assault was over, until Pupitar came to the front. Pupitar's whole body began to glow golden with power. He leapt a foot into the air then came down hard. The result was a huge pillar of rock shooting up under not only Team Phoenix's Pokémon, but also the members themselves. The pillar threw the whole army into the ceiling of the Temple, and thankfully they did not cause any major damage to the structure._

_The army of Phoenixes came down with a crash on the pillar of rock, which came back down to the ground slowly. As the stone settled, however, I could see that Team Phoenix's machine was still untouched. Luckily, however, all of the Pokémon and Phoenix members were knocked out from the last attack. I was about to go to the machine and have one of my Pokémon destroy it, but the sound of slow, methodical clapping from the back stopped me. I turned around and saw the only Phoenix member who scared me at all: Emmanuel. I had expected him to show up, but what I had not expected was him applauding my victory._

_"You?!" I said, clearly angry._

_"Me," Emmanuel said nonchalantly. "I must say that was a most beautiful performance. In fact, it was more beautiful than any battle I have seen since my last one-on-one battle with your brother. You have clearly improved since we last met. I would have offered you membership into Team Phoenix had this been under any other circumstance."_

_"What do you mean?" I asked, slightly curious now._

_Emmanuel chuckled slightly before answering. "Well, I like to have lieutenants who can hold their own against as many Pokémon trainers that life can throw at them. If you had just done this performance against anybody other than my own employees, I definitely would have offered you a top position in Team Phoenix. Now, however, I doubt any of my employees would even consider accepting your leadership. So, I have decided to just brutally beat you again, but first, I think I should show you what this machine of mine does."_

_With that, he pulled a remote control from a pocket, and pressed a single button. The machine behind me began to buzz with power. The machine's arms all sent a bolt of energy to a single point. As they collided, what looked to be a portal began to open up; on the other end of the portal was a glowing white area. I didn't know where this place was, but I got a strong feeling that I was looking where mortal eyes were not meant to gaze upon. That was when a loud roar erupted into the Temple, and it originated from the portal itself._

_Soon, the portal had grown to the size of the entire temple, and it on the other side was such a blindingly white light that even the sun was dim in comparison, and neither I nor Emmanuel could do more than glance without hurting our eyes. Despite not being able to see the other side, I knew what Emmanuel had just done. He had effectively created a portal into Arceus's realm. Now it was only a matter of time before the Creator came into the Temple in its bodily form. I had only seen Arceus once, and he had shown me favor then. I knew I could not stand idly by and let Emmanuel try to control Arceus's realm. I chose then and there to stop Emmanuel._

_"EMMANUEL, I CHALLENGE YOU TO A BATTLE!" I shouted more powerfully than I ever had in the past. Emmanuel, clearly surprised by my challenge, looked at me, his eyes wide. Before he could respond, another roar came from the portal, but this one sounded almost as if the source approved of my challenge._

_Emmanuel smiled then, "It seems our audience approves of your challenge. Very well, I will dispose of you in front of the god of Pokémon. I hope you are ready to be pummeled."_

_Emmanuel threw his first Pokéball out "Go Armaldo!" he called. I saw that Armaldo once again, and it seemed unscathed from the Hyper Beam it had taken during the double battle in Pitt City._

_Since all of my Pokémon were already out of their Pokéballs, I just looked over to Gabite and nodded. Before he took his first step toward the Armaldo he began to glow, beginning his final evolution. Gabite grew to over six feet tall, and took on a form similar to its mother. The difference, however, was found with the back fin, which took on a triangular indent, and its snout became sharper and more aerodynamic. As the glowing ceased, Gabite had become a Garchomp. What was strange, however, was when the evolution ended, Garchomp continued to glow, but in a not like he was evolving. It looked more like a golden mist had settled on his body, but hadn't dissipated. I was confused about this, so I looked around and saw that all of my Pokémon were glowing in a similar way._

_Emmanuel also looked confused, and a little angry, knowing that his hopes at victory had just decreased exponentially. I wasted no time taking out his Armaldo, taking advantage of Emmanuel's temporary distraction._

_"Garchomp, use Dragon Rush!" I called out. Garchomp's body became covered with dragon fire and he charged at Armaldo. The resulting blast sent Armaldo flying backwards. I had never seen such power from my Pokémon, and I couldn't help but think that Arceus was assisting me in a way._

_Armaldo did not get up after that attack, and Emmanuel was looking scared. Behind me, I could hear groaning from the previously unconscious Phoenix grunts. I didn't care, since I was about to sweep their leader's team with almost no effort._

_I called Garchomp back before Emmanuel sent out his next Pokémon. "GO CRADILY!" he called as he threw his next Pokéball. The Pokémon that came out looked like a green barnacle with four suction cup covered legs. Its neck was a single stalk with a yellow joint in the middle. Its head was a bulb with eight frill-like flower petals around the back of its head. The head itself had two sets of two yellow circles that looked like eyes over a single black gap where Cradily's real eye, which was a glowing, yellow dot in the center of the gap, was located._

_I called Garchomp back, and then looked over to Metagross, who walked with heavy steps toward the Cradily, which apparently was firmly attached to the floor. I wasted no time giving my next command. "Metagross, Hyper Beam now!" The metal "X" over Metagross's face began to glow with bright white light before gathering in a sphere at the center of the cross. Then a solid beam of light blasted from the sphere, landing directly on Cradily, exploding and throwing the Prehistoric Pokémon into the air. Emmanuel gave a command then._

_"Cradily use Solarbeam!" He called. It was no use though, Cradily was already unconscious, and it landed hard. I saw that Metagross's Hyper Beam had not done the same amount of damage as Emmanuel's Aerodactyl had to Marshtomp during our last battle, and I was relieved that I had not killed a Pokémon._

_Emmanuel recalled Cradily, glaring at me all the while. He then threw his next Pokéball. "Go Carracosta!" The Pokéball opened, unleashing a blue, bipedal sea turtle with a black shell that was separated in key locations for water attacks. Metagross came back to my side and Raikou ran out, knowing that it was his time to battle._

_"Raikou use Volt Tackle!" I commanded. Raikou began to sprint toward Carracosta, his entire body becoming cloaked with electricity. As the attack struck, all of the electricity discharged into Carracosta's body, throwing it back, and it almost slammed into Emmanuel, where it remained._

_Now Emmanuel was visibly angry. He was being defeated without even getting an attack off, and now all of his employees were awake and watching. He recalled Carracosta for his next Pokémon. This one was the Rock and Steel Type Pokémon Bastiodon. The Pokémon stood on four legs, with black, armor plating up to its knees with steel colored toe nails. Its main body was mostly a tan leather material, with a black, armor-plated backbone with steel studs protruding from each vertebra until its tail. The greatest feature of this Pokémon was a gigantic black armor plated shield-like head. The forehead was huge, with four tan studs that formed a square, and two steel studs like those on its spine on top of the shielding. It had two metal blade-like eyebrows and four razor sharp teeth protruding from a very impressive underbite. It was a very intimidating Pokémon, but nothing that my Pupitar couldn't take out with one attack._

_Raikou had returned to my side by then, so Pupitar leapt out from the crowd of my Pokémon. "Pupitar use Earth Power now!" I commanded. Pupitar began glowing with power, then leapt into the air before slamming back into the ground again. This time, however, multiple smaller pillars came up in a wave, shooting up with incredible force, easily enough to punch through steel. The wave reached Bastiodon and proceeded to throw him from the ground and then, just as he came back down, launch him back into the air. With that, Bastiodon returned to the ground with a loud crash._

_While the attack was over, Pupitar was still glowing. It was now his turn to evolve. The form of a Larvitar returned, but this time, it was at least seven feet tall, and it had multiple long spikes along its back. Its arms and legs were also thicker and longer, each with three sharp claws. His tail had also grown to almost five feet long, and it had a star-shaped spiked tip. When the evolution was complete, the rest of his features became visible. A Tyranitar now stood before us; it was reminiscent of the fictional monster, Godzilla. On his stomach, there was a blue diamond-shaped opening in his green armor, which had multiple sets of two black hash markings on its chest and legs. I knew I had to see what Tyranitar could do, so I left him out to face whatever Pokémon Emmanuel sent out next._

_That was the last straw for Emmanuel, his face clearly reflecting his terror at going up against another fully evolved pseudo-legendary. He still sent out his next Pokémon. "GO TYRANTRUM!" he called out._

_The Pokémon that came out was an eight-foot-tall, red-skinned Tyrannosaurus, but with a huge white collar-like frill coming from his neck. He also had an orange, five-pointed eye brow that looked like it belonged to a king. As of yet, this was it was the most intimidating Pokémon I had seen, but I was not going to let that stop me from winning._

_"Tyranitar, use Earthquake, then follow that up with Brick Break if you need to!" I called. Tyranitar stomped on the ground, roaring with incredible strength and ferocity as a gigantic shock wave began to shake the entire Temple of Arceus._

_"Tyrantrum, use Giga Impact NOW!" Emmanuel commanded. Tyrantrum's body began to glow with energy and it charged. It didn't get within a foot of Tyranitar, having been thrown into the air by the shock wave of the Earthquake. While Tyrantrum landed hard, it did manage to return to its feet, retaining its glow of power. This time it charged faster, looking angrier at being stopped the first time. Tyranitar decided, however, that Tyrantrum would fail once more. Tyranitar's hand began to glow as it prepared for the next attack._

_Just as Tyrantrum was about to land a strong hit with the Giga Impact, Tyranitar side-stepped and hit Tyrantrum with an uppercut below the jaw, sending the monstrous dinosaur flying back several feet. It didn't stand up again._

_I knew which Pokémon Emmanuel was going to use next, so I also knew which of my Pokémon would be facing it. I called Tyranitar back, and Swampert walked out into the open area. Emmanuel threw his last Pokéball out with a shout "GO, AERODACTYL!" With a huge flash, the pterosaur took form, and it looked even more powerful than last time._

_It was Emmanuel's last chance at victory, and I had to admit, it was a good one at that, but Swampert and I wanted revenge for last time._

_"Swampert, use Blizzard!" I commanded. Swampert drew his head back, his mouth open and a blue sphere of energy gathered before him. This time, however, unlike with Ice Beam, a gigantic cone of snow, ice, hail and cold wind came blasting out, and it was aimed perfectly at Aerodactyl._

_Aerodactyl, however, was not to be beaten as easily as its predecessors had been. It took flight in a second, and got out of danger at the last possible instant. That was when I knew that the real fight was about to begin, and Emmanuel could actually land a hit on one of my Pokémon._

_"Aerodactyl, use Sky Drop!" Emmanuel shouted. Aerodactyl swooped down, grabbing Swampert in his feet, and began carrying him as close to the portal as possible. Unfortunately for Emmanuel, Swampert was facing Aerodactyl's underside, leaving a perfect target for an Ice Beam._

_"Swampert, use Ice Beam now!" I commanded. Once again a bright, icy blue sphere appeared in front of Swamperts mouth. Then five arching tendrils shot from the sphere and struck Aerodactyl in the gut. Aerodactyl lost its grip on Swampert and both began to plummet to the ground._

_Swampert didn't go far before a gigantic arm of some sort reached through the portal, wrapping around him and gently lowering him to the floor. Aerodactyl, however, was not so lucky. He struck the ground with such force that the ground should have been broken, but it remained amazingly intact. Swampert returned to my side, and we all knew that I was the undisputed victor._

_Emmanuel was horrified now. He was defenseless, and the god of creation had been summoned by him, and it was completely pissed off at him. Emmanuel gave his grunts an order "LET'S GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE, BEFORE ARCEUS KILLS US ALL!" They all ran to the doors, which slammed shut and would not open, no matter how much force was applied to them. Mike shouted a question to Emmanuel, saying "WHY THE FUCK DID WE THINK THIS WAS A GOOD IDEA!" Team Phoenix's machine started to overload on power just before it exploded._

_I stood and watched this all unfold. While I was confident that Arceus would not try to harm me and my Pokémon, I still had all of my Pokémon use Protect just in case things got dangerous. That was when Arceus itself came out of the portal in its full size and power. He looked just as he had in the Pitt City Pokémon Center, but he now towered well over a hundred feet tall. I looked in awe at a being that no mortal should have ever seen in its full glory, and I found that I could not take my eyes off of him._

_Arceus's whole body glowed as he began using his own attack: Judgment. This was the most powerful Pokémon attack ever, it could be whatever type Arceus chose it to be, and only he could use it._

_Arceus roared once more. It was a roar that was so strange and alien to me that I have not forgotten it since having heard it. That roar was the trigger to Judgment as a gigantic sphere of white energy appeared, flickering between white and black as it swung around to the top of the dome, gathering speed as it accelerated toward Emmanuel and the rest of Team Phoenix. The ball of energy engulfed them, while it was still flickering from black to white until it finally came to rest on black. The sphere shrunk, into nothing, leaving no trace that Team Phoenix had even existed in the first place._

_Arceus then looked to me, and all of my Pokémon returned to their Pokéballs of their own accord. The portal closed, and Arceus shrunk down to human size so he could look me in the eye. I then heard the voice of the Creator of Pokémon in my mind for the second and last time in my life._

_**Jordan Moul, you have definitely grown much stronger since I saved Marshtomp so long ago. I have watched you with great interest since then.**_

_"Thank you Arceus, but I owe my success to you alone. You did save my Pokémon after all," I said._

_**Walk with me,**__ He said, and I felt compelled to do just that. We walked through the Temple to where Team Phoenix had been._

_"Arceus," I said. "What happened to Emmanuel and the rest of Team Phoenix?"_

_**That is tough to explain to most mortals, but whenever I use Judgment on humans, the attack either deems the target worthy of a blessing, or it deems them villainous and sends them to the Distortion World. **__He said._

_I was confused. While I had heard the name "Distortion World" before, I knew nothing of it. Arceus must have gleaned that from my thoughts, because he answered that question immediately._

_**The Distortion World is the exact opposite of this world, and it is where my friend and counterpart, Giratina lives and rules. Unlike this world, the Distortion World normally only contains Giratina, but it is capable of holding an infinite number of beings, just as this world does. I will join Giratina after this conversation to properly punish Team Phoenix myself for their indiscretions, then, once the punishment is complete, they will be returned to this world, but enough of this topic. Emmanuel chose his path and got his just punishment for using Pokémon as tools of war. You, on the other hand, have captured one of my loyal servants, Raikou. He has informed me of your kind heart and undeniable courage. He has also conversed telepathically with his Fire and Water counterparts, Entei, and Suicune. They have informed me that you are worthy of the Pokémon of rainbow colors: Ho-oh. I have commanded Ho-oh to come here and test you herself, if you prove yourself worthy to her, she will become your Pokémon.**_

_I could hardly believe what I was being told. Ho-oh, the legendary bird, only ever appeared to a trainer of the purest heart and greatest skill, and the other legendary Pokémon had agreed that I was worthy to be tested by Ho-oh._

_I looked Arceus in the eyes, and I swear, despite not having a mouth, he was smiling at me. __**You are the most worthy Pokémon Trainer ever.**__ That was the last thing Arceus said before disappearing completely, and the last thing he ever said to me. I walked to the doors and took a deep breath before opening both of the double doors. I walked out onto the street, where a large crowd had gathered due to the sounds of the battles, and then I waited. Behind me came the thunderous boom of a gigantic wing beat and the shriek of a huge bird. The crowd started to run back out of fear, but I just calmly turned around, unclipping Raikou's Pokéball from my belt._

_The bird that landed in front of the temple stood easily twelve feet tall, with a wing span nearly ninety feet long. The majority of Ho-oh's body was an orange-red. The edges of her wings were green feathers with white bases to them. Her breast and legs were covered in white feathers, while her feet and talons were completely black. Her tail had almost all gold with a lighter color on the ends of those feathers. Her head and neck were all the same orange-red color as the main body of her wings, with a single green ring of feathers at the base of her skull. There were black rings of feathers around her eyes, and on the top of her head was a headdress of golden feathers. Her beak was also golden, and it hooked down into a sharp, almost blade-like point. To call Ho-oh beautiful would have been an understatement._

_One reporter from the crowd foolishly tried to come forward, hoping to get a better angle for the camera on the legendary Pokémon for her news station, but Ho-oh sent a plume of fire directly at the camera itself, melting the equipment in a second. The reporter scurried back into the crowd hoping to get the back-up camera in time._

_Ho-oh looked me in the eye, both of us knowing that it was time to begin my test. So I threw Raikou's Pokéball out, intending to merely tire Ho-oh out enough to make catching her easier. Ho-oh spread her wings to their full length, and shrieked powerfully, and I knew this would be an incredibly tough battle._

_"Raikou, use Thunderbolt!" I commanded. Five tendrils of lightning shot from Raikou, landing on Ho-oh's breast. The legendary bird took the hit, and it seemed to do a great deal of damage. Then Ho-oh's entire body began to glow and her injuries all healed instantly, as she used Recover. Then she reared her head back and shot fire that cycled through every color of the rainbow, colors that I didn't even know fire could be. Raikou luckily dodged Ho-oh's attack, which I assumed was Sacred Fire, without injury, but it was a very close call._

_"Raikou, use Thunderbolt again, aim for Ho-oh's wings!" I called out again. This time, four of the tendrils hit Ho-oh's wings, and the last struck her breast again. This caused Ho-oh to freeze with her wings spread wide. I realized that now would likely be the best, if not the only, time to throw a Pokéball at her if I indeed wanted to capture this legendary Pokémon, so I unclipped the last empty Pokéball from my belt and threw it at Ho-oh._

_The Pokéball was within a foot of Ho-oh's breast when she regained control of her body. What she did, however, was completely unexpected. She unleashed a stream of fire at the Pokéball. I wasn't sure if Pokéballs could withstand the searing heat, but I kept my eye on Ho-oh nonetheless._

_Despite the jet of fire, the Pokéball struck Ho-oh, converting her body into red light before encapsulating it. The Pokéball landed on the ground and began to roll rapidly. I didn't move a muscle, praying to Arceus that this would work. The ball continued to roll around for nearly ten minutes before it stopped and the red light at the center turned off. I couldn't believe what had just happened. I had just captured a legendary Pokémon, and it was one of the most powerful Pokémon to have ever walked, or flown across, the Earth._

_The whole crowd behind me gasped collectively, knowing that they had just witnessed history. I had completely forgotten that they were standing there, but I really could not care less about who was watching what I had done. So I recalled Raikou, and then nonchalantly walked through the crowd, which parted like the Red Sea before Moses, with the exception of news reporters who flocked to me as I walked. I didn't answer most of their questions, not feeling in the mood to answer trivial questions. The only question I did answer was asked just as I had gotten through the crowd: "Could you at least tell us who you are?" they said._

_I stopped and turned to whole crowd and spoke. "My name is Jordan Moul, from Bath Town. My brother is Connor Moul. I stopped Team Phoenix inside the Temple, and Arceus deemed me worthy to be tested by Ho-oh. Before I see my brother or my girlfriend, Sarah, again I am going to defeat Ash in the Char City Gym. I will see you all there." That seemed to satisfy the crowd and reporters, so I turned around and went back to the Pokémon Center._

_There was a huge crowd of people in the Pokémon Center, and all were watching the news, which was a rerun of what had just happened outside the Temple of Arceus. I was curious to see a third person view of my own battle, so I pulled on a ball cap and walked into the crowd. I had to admit, had I not known the trainer on the screen was me, I would have wanted to battle him the instant I met him. I smiled a little and I had made it to the healing counter before removing my hat and giving my Pokémon to the nurse for a re-energizing. That was when somebody recognized me._

_"EVERYBODY, HE'S OVER THERE! JORDAN MOUL IS AT THE COUNTER!"_

_I sighed, realizing that this fame had been forced onto me, and there was nothing I could do now but enjoy it while it lasted. So I stood on the counter as the wave of people came toward me. There was a roar of questions that drowned out each other, but I figured most of them were challenges. I raised my hands to quiet the crowd, which is, I must admit, an awesome perk to being famous, and then I told them what I had to say._

_"First off, I am not going to battle anybody right now, I am exhausted and I have had nearly forty battles today, with nearly half of them all at the same time, so don't challenge me, you will lose badly anyway," I said. "Secondly, I am NOT letting Ho-oh out unless I am in a battle or I am flying somewhere, this Pokémon Center is not big enough for her to fit in anyway. Lastly, I want to go to sleep and prepare for my battle against Ash tomorrow, I ask that you leave me to my meditations and preparations until tomorrow so I can give you all the best performance possible. Thank you all for your support, and good night." The nurse returned with my Pokéballs in hand, which I reattached to my belt, and then I walked to my room, the crowd once again letting me through._

_Flashback end_

Ash was amazed. This story was incredible. He looked to Rachel only to see that she had a new look of absolute confidence. "I have figured out who I will battle with," Rachel said.

"I did, and this story reminded me that no matter what the odds are, I can overcome them to achieve greatness," Rachel said. Ash smiled. That was how he always battled, although he was starting to battle with a lot more strategy then before so he wouldn't have to do his typical comebacks like with the other regions.

"Mind telling me who you plan to use?" Ash asked.

Rachel turned to him and put her arms around his neck and shoulders. She leaned in toward his ear and whispered "That's for you to find out when I battle."

Ash just chuckled. "I guess so," he said. That was when they left for the gym. This gym was not a problem to find, because it was a massive red coliseum decorated with statues of every fire-type Pokémon along the walls, and it was organized based on evolutionary lines, with legendary fire-type Pokémon at the top each of the stone flames on the wall. It was almost more impressive architecture than the Temple of Arceus.

There was actually a huge line in front of the stadium, and Ash and Rachel could hear an audience already roaring inside. Officer Jenny was in charge of security there, so they went to ask for help. "Officer Jenny, we are here to challenge the Gym Leader, is this the line to battle him?" Ash asked.

"No, these are the spectators only, and there are so many because we received word that there would be a challenger today. Challengers enter through that entrance over there," She said as she pointed toward a lower level to the stadium. "Good luck to both of you."

"Thanks Jenny," they both said as they walked toward the Challenger's entrance. They opened the door, which revealed a tunnel leading to a locker room. In said locker room sat a man wearing orange pants and an orange cut-off shirt that showed an impressive midriff. Then came his hair, which was dyed orange and it looked like a candle flame. He stood up, smiling at Ash and Rachel.

"Welcome challengers. I am Ash, the Char City Gym Leader," he said.

"It is great to meet you Ash, I am Rachel Moul from Bath Town," Rachel said.

"The daughter of Jordan?" the leader asked. "Ah, he was an incredible trainer when he came through. I hope you prove to be just as skilled as him."

"And I am Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town," Ketchum said.

"Oh, I know you from your performance in Kalos. It was quite astounding. I have also made arrangements with the announcer to eliminate confusion. He will be calling you by your last name during the battle," the Gym Leader said.

Ash nodded. "That will help a lot. By the way, Rachel will be going first in this battle," Ash said.

The leader nodded. "Very well then, Ash, there are benches on the sidelines for other challengers to use while they wait. Now, we must get to the battlefield, they are about to call for us." Everybody followed the Gym Leader to the tunnel.

That was when the announcer began to speak. "Welcome Pokémon fans. It is now time for us to begin the main event. Now, introducing the first challenger; she is the daughter of both the famous trainer, Jordan. She already has three American League gym badges. IT'S RACHEL MOUL!" he said. The crowd erupted with a cheer. Rachel ran from the tunnel with a smile and a wave to the crowd. "Now we have the second challenger. He is from the far-away Kanto Region and has quite the record as a trainer. He finished top sixteen in the Indigo League, top eight in the Johto, Hoenn, and Unova regions, top four in the Sinnoh League, and won the Kalos League. He also won at the Orange League, the Kanto Battle Frontier, and beat the Kalos Elite Four, just falling short of the Champion. Here is Ash Ketchum!" The crowd went nuts at that announcement, Ash ran out and waved like Rachel had done, but he went to the bench instead of the Trainer's box. He hoped to witness a great battle here.

"And now, it is time for your Char City Gym Leader. Here is ASH!" the announcer said. The crowd went crazier than they did for both Rachel and Ketchum combined.

"Hello my adoring fans!" Ash said as he walked out onto the battlefield. "I promise you all a great battle today!" There was a referee on the sidelines of the battlefield, his flags ready for this battle.

Ash took his position in the Gym Leader's box. "Choose your Pokémon!" said the referee.

"Go, Houndoom!" Ash called out.

"Go, Electrike!" Rachel called out. It was Electrike's first gym battle, but it was still looking strong for this battle.

"This will be a 3-on-3 battle, and only the challenger may substitute Pokémon. The challenger has the first attack. Begin!" said the referee.

"Electrike, use Shock Wave!" Rachel called out. Electrike fired a blue stream of electricity at Houndoom. The lightning shocked the fire hound, but it didn't seem to do that much damage. Houndoom just shook it off.

"Houndoom, use Faint Attack!" Ash commanded. Houndoom seemed to vanish into thin air. It only reappeared as it slashed Electrike across the face. Electrike went skidding across the battlefield, but it was still able to battle. Ash Ketchum was surprised at how fast Houndoom was, but he was also surprised at Electrike's resilience.

"Electrike, use Quick Attack!" Rachel said. Electrike began to sprint with a white light extending from behind him. It almost hit, but Houndoom dodged.

"Houndoom, Crunch!" Ash called out. Houndoom bite down hard on Electrike. Electrike yelped in pain, and Rachel winced as her Pokémon took a lot of damage, but she knew it was necessary.

"Electrike, use Thunderbolt!" Rachel commanded. Electrike unleashed a gigantic lightning bolt that coursed through Houndoom. The fire hound released Electrike from its jaws, but the electricity didn't stop flowing. Houndoom howled in pain, but Rachel didn't let up. "Electrike, use Thunder Fang!" Rachel called. Electrike's mouth filled with electricity as it closed in and bit onto Houndoom's snout, muzzling the dog and shocking it at the same time. Houndoom collapsed after that.

"Houndoom is unable to battle! Electrike is the winner!" said the referee. The crowd cheered for Rachel's amazing win.

"Well Rachel, you have the same knack for battling that your father had in his day. I only wonder how you will deal with my Camerupt!" Ash called as he sent out his next Pokémon. The ox Pokémon looked strong to Ketchum.

"Be careful Rachel," Ketchum said to himself.

"Electrike, return for now!" she said as she recalled the Pokémon. "Now, go Braixen!" She sent out her starter Pokémon. The Pokémon looked exceptionally confident.

"Camerupt, use Eruption!" Ash commanded. Camerupt's back volcanos began shooting off lava jets.

"Braixen, use Psychic on the lava," Rachel called out. Braixen did as it was told, as the lava was coated with blue energy and stopped moving. "Now throw it right back!" Braixen moved its hands and threw the lava directly back at Camerupt. The lava splashed into the face of the opposing Pokémon, but Camerupt just shook it off.

"Now, use Earthquake Camerupt!" Ash commanded. Camerupt launched a shockwave from where it stood.

"Braixen, jump and use Psybeam!" Rachel said. The fox followed the orders and leapt into the air as the shockwave went by. Braixen then shot a rainbow-colored beam which stuck Camerupt from the side. The camel Pokémon was covered with the rainbow energy, and it looked to take on some damage from the attack. "Now, use Flamethrower!" Braixen launched a jet of flames at Camerupt.

"Respond with your own Flamethrower Camerupt!" Ash called out. Camerupt launched its own jet of fire at Braixen's fire. The two streams met and created an explosion. Braixen landed nimbly on its feet.

"Now use Psychic!" Rachel said. Braixen extended its hands toward Camerupt and lifted the Pokémon into the air before slamming it into the ground with exceptional force and creating a huge cloud of dust. When the dust cleared, it was obvious that Camerupt was out of the battle.

"Camerupt is unable to battle. Braixen is the winner!" the referee said.

"Return Camerupt," Ash said. "Now go Blaziken!" he called as he sent out the fire and fighting Hoenn Starter Pokémon. It was clearly powerful and it reminded Ash of Harrison's Blaziken from the Silver Conference all those years ago.

"Blaziken, use Sky Uppercut!" Ash called out. Blaziken leapt at Braixen faster than any Pokémon Ketchum had ever seen before, its fist glowing blue-green. Braixen had no chance to dodge the attack. Blaziken attacked hard, throwing Braixen into the air before leaping after it and punching it hard in the gut. The fox Pokémon flipped over Blaziken as it was punched hard. Blaziken landed nimbly while Braixen crashed into the ground. Braixen laid on the ground for a while, not moving.

The referee waited a minute before saying "Braixen is unable to…" He was cut off as Braixen struggled to her feet and glared at Blaziken. Braixen gave a roar of defiance and began to glow white as it began to evolve, Rachel looking on in excitement. In a few seconds, it was a Delphox. "Continue the battle!" said the referee.

Rachel smiled. This battle was hers. "Delphox, use Mystic Fire!" she called. Delphox took a flaming wand from its fur sleeves, waved it in a circle and sent a flaming ring at Blaziken. Blaziken had no time to dodge the attack. The ring struck Blaziken in the chest, but it didn't do too much damage.

"Blaziken, use Focus Blast!" Ash called out. Blaziken gathered a ball of energy in its palm before throwing it at Delphox.

"Delphox, stop that Focus Blast with Psychic then throw it back!" Delphox's wand glowed blue, as did the Focus Blast. The attack did a U-turn and flew back at Blaziken with greater speed and size than before. This time, the attack struck Blaziken on the head, sending the Pokémon flying back and skidding across the ground. It came to a rest at Ash's feet and fainted.

"Blaziken is unable to battle. The winner is Delphox, and that means the victory goes to Rachel!" called the referee.

"YEAH!" Rachel said as she ran onto the field and hugged Delphox.

"Delphox del," Delphox said. Ash then came up to Rachel, badge in hand.

"Congratulations on that magnificent win Rachel. You are truly your father's daughter," Ash said. "Here is the Blaze Badge." The badge looked like a candle flame with a red and orange color scheme. It reminded Ash Ketchum a little of Cinnibar Island's Volcano Badge, but he didn't have the time to focus on the badge design. It was now Ketchum's turn to battle Ash.

**So this is by far the longest chapter I wrote, sorry about the long flashback. I felt it was necessary to have the whole excerpt there, as it gives readers a better idea of how Rachel gained more confidence before she went to her Gym Battle against Ash. Again, sorry for the confusion between Ash Ketchum and Ash the Gym Leader, I created the Gym Leader before I even considered the possibility that I would write **_**Ash Goes American**_**. As always, reviews and suggestions are welcomed. This time, there is more available in terms of suggestions as I did not write much about the last four gyms until the eighth in **_**Becoming a Master**_**. The cities, types of the gyms, and the names of the leaders are in the order as follows: Forestra, Ghost, Hunter; San Danga, Fairy, Jorgen; New Glancove, Dragon, Dovah; and Igland, Ice, Cryo II. The Pokémon used by these leaders and the landmarks between cities are also up for suggestion. Let me know what you think.**


	12. The Clash of Ash

**Sorry for the unusually long wait for this chapter. I started playing Pokémon Zeta and I had a metric shitload of work for classes on top of that. Now, without further ado, here is Ash vs. Ash.**

_The Clash of Ash_

Ash Ketchum was in the Challenger's box while Rachel and Braixen were sitting on the bench looking on eagerly as Ash (the gym leader) stood in the Gym Leader's box, preparing for the battle. The announcer started the battle. "Now it is time for our second battle of the day. It will be a three-on-three battle, with no time limit. Only the challenger may substitute Pokémon. Begin!"

"Go, Blaziken!" said Ash.

"Go Greninja!" said Ketchum.

"Now, Blaziken use Sky Uppercut!" commanded Ash. Blaziken leapt toward the ninja frog, fists glowing light blue.

"Greninja, dodge and use Water Pulse!" said Ketchum. Greninja spun around Blaziken just as it reached out to grab him, a ball of water in his hand. When the dodge was finished, Greninja slammed its own attack into Blaziken's back, sending the fire-hawk flying. Blaziken got up, but it had clearly taken damage from the attack.

"Blaziken, use Sunny Day then use Blaze Kick!" said Ash.

"Greninja, use Water Shurikan. Don't let Blaziken use Sunny Day!" ordered Ketchum. Unfortunately, Blaziken shot off a ball of bright light into the sky just as Greninja threw multiple water shurikans at Blaziken. The attacks hit, but the sun's intensified rays caused it to be slightly weakened. It didn't matter anyway, because Blaziken fainted from that attack.

"Blaziken is unable to battle. Greninja is the winner!" said the referee. Ash recalled Blaziken with a sigh.

"Well Mr. Ketchum, that was an impressive win, but you won't beat my next Pokémon with that strategy. Go, Charizard!" Ash said.

Ketchum grinned as he saw this Pokémon appear. It reminded him of his own Charizard, but it wasn't anywhere near as powerful as his own. "Greninja, use Rain Dance, then Hydro Pump!" he called out. Greninja shot off a ball of blue energy into the sky, causing storm clouds to form, and a fierce downpour began. Then the frog gathered a circle of water in front of him, which fired a jet of water at Charizard.

"Dodge and use Steel Wing!" said Ash. Charizard roared as it flew to the side of the Hydro Pump to dodge, then flew directly at Greninja, wings glowing white. The attack struck hard, sending Greninja flying, but the ninja frog was able to stay standing. "Now, Solarbeam!" Charizard's mouth began to glow white as he charged up solar energy. It fired quickly, hitting Greninja hard. Greninja stayed down after that.

"Greninja is unable to battle. Charizard is the winner!" the referee declared.

Ketchum was surprised at the power of that Solarbeam. He would have to be careful. Luckily he had his not-so-secret secret weapon. "Pikachu, are you ready?"

"Pikapi!" said the electric mouse. He ran onto the field, ready to take on the fire dragon.

"Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!" Ketchum commanded.

"Piiikaaachuuuuuu!" cried the electric mouse as it released a gigantic bolt of electricity.

"Chairzard, dodge and use Flamethrower!" Ash said. Unfortunately for Charizard, the attack was too fast to be dodged. Charizard was electrocuted with a massive amount of voltage. Ash was terrified at the immense power that this little Pikachu possessed. It was enough to ground his Charizard, although it wasn't enough to win just yet. Charizard roared and launched a jet of fire at Pikachu.

"Pikachu, use Quick Attack to dodge it, then use Electro Ball!" Ketchum commanded. Pikachu responded with lightning reflexes, running away from the searing flames with a white streak coming out from behind him. As Pikachu sprinted toward Charizard, a ball of electricity formed above his tail. Pikachu leapt into the air, spun rapidly, and threw that ball of electricity at Charizard's chest, and it struck hard. That finished off Charizard, who collapsed after the smoke cleared.

"Charizard is unable to battle, Pikachu is the winner!" said the referee.

"Charizard return!" said Ash. "Now, for my last Pokémon, I choose Delphox!" Out came the final evolution of Fennekin, and it looked stronger than Rachel's Delphox.

"Pikachu, use Iron Tail!" Ketchum commanded.

"Delphox, use Psychic!" Ash said. Delphox's eyes glowed blue, as did Pikachu's entire body. Pikachu looked shocked as it levitated above the battlefield. Delphox then flicked its wrist, causing Pikachu to soar into the air. It then slammed Pikachu into the ground. The electric mouse struggled to his feet, ready to keep going.

"Pikachu, use Thunderbolt, and then use Quick Attack!" Ketchum commanded. Pikachu fired another powerful Thunderbolt which struck Delphox. The fox howled loudly as it was electrocuted, but it was still standing strong. Then came Pikachu's Quick Attack, slamming into Delphox hard, sending it staggering. Delphox was still standing though, and it was ready to battle.

"Mystical Fire!" called Ash. Delphox pulled out a flaming wand and moved it in a circle, which created a ring of flames that was then propelled toward Pikachu.

"Pikachu, jump through that ring and use Volt Tackle to finish this!" Ketchum commanded. Pikachu leapt through the flaming ring just as it passed, almost like it was a circus performance. Pikachu then sprinted toward Delphox, electricity swirling around him. Pikachu then slammed into Delphox, throwing the fox into the air. Pikachu just flipped with ease, landing lightly while Delphox slammed into the ground hard. Delphox didn't get up.

"Delphox is unable to battle, Pikachu wins. This means that Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town is the winner!" called the referee.

"We did it Pikachu! We won!" Ketchum called as he ran onto the field, and hugged Pikachu.

"Pi-Pikachu!" said the little Pokémon as he returned his trainer's embrace as best he could with his little arms. Ash returned Delphox to its Pokéball with a content smile as he walked over to Ketchum.

"Well, Mr. Ketchum, you have earned both your reputation and this Blaze Badge!" Ash said as he handed Ketchum the badge.

"Thank you for a great battle Ash," Ketchum said.

"And thank you for giving it your all Ash," Ash said with a chuckle. That was when Rachel gave her Ash a hug from behind.

"Congratulations Ash, you keep on improving every time you battle. I can't wait to see what else you can do," she said.

Ketchum smiled. "I will show you when we get back to the Pokémon Center. Now, let's go back and get a room for the night before they are all taken," he said. With that, the two trainers left. Ash didn't realize that he would be getting a surprise when he got to the Pokémon Center.

**This is a much shorter chapter than the previous one, but oh well. For next chapter, I am considering bringing in Brock for an appearance. Let me know what you think about this idea. As always, reviews and suggestions are welcomed, so let me know what you think. Until next time.**


	13. The Brockster Is In

_The Brockster is In_

Ash and Rachel had just arrived at the Pokémon Center, and had just left the counter, where they gave their Pokémon to Nurse Joy so that they would be healed. They were just about to sit down in the lobby when Ash heard a very familiar voice calling to him. "Ash, is that you?" said the man.

Ash turned around and saw one of his dearest friends. "Brock!" Ash said excitedly.

"Pikachu-pi!" Pikachu said ecstatically as he saw one of his oldest friends.

"Hey there Pikachu. How have you been?" Brock asked.

"Pikachu!" said the Pokémon happily.

"What are you doing here in Char City?" Ash asked.

"I just moved here for Pokémon Medical School, since I graduated from Saffron University last year," said Brock.

"Wow, congratulations Brock! I'm not sure if you heard but I won the Kalos League and almost beat Diantha!" Ash said.

"I heard, and you were quite impressive there as well," Brock said. That was when he noticed Rachel. "And who might this lovely lady be?" he asked with a friendly grin.

"This is Rachel Moul. You may have heard of her mother and father, who are considered to be the greatest breeder and trainer respectively for their time," Ash said.

Brock looked impressed. "Well, I have certainly heard of her parents. It is nice to meet you Rachel, I'm Brock," he said.

"Nice to meet you Brock," she said, but she didn't get to say anything more because Brock saw Nurse Joy exit from the examination room with Rachel's and Ash's Pokémon beside her. Now Rachel was confused as she watched Brock immediately start flirting with Nurse Joy without any motivation. Rachel heard Ash face-plant, and she looked over at her unofficial boyfriend as he got up and brushed himself off. "What is Brock doing?" Rachel asked.

"That is just how he is. He can't control himself when he sees a beautiful girl. Don't worry, this problem will sort itself out," Ash said with a chuckle.

Rachel was confused until she saw a Pokémon release itself from one of Brock's Pokéballs. What came out was a Toxicroak, which surprised Ash, but he knew Brock must have worked hard to evolve his Croagunk. That was when Toxicroak slammed his clawed knuckle into Brock's side. Brock collapsed and Toxicroak dragged him away. "So, is that all we will see of Brock?" Rachel asked with a laugh.

"Don't worry about it. He will be back soon enough," Ash said with a knowing laugh. Nurse Joy returned Ash's and Rachel's Pokémon before returning to her work. Then, as if nothing had happened Brock came back.

"So are you two traveling together?" Brock asked.

"Yes we are, and it has been pretty amazing so far," Ash said.

"We should go to a table and talk about our travels over dinner," Rachel suggested. Brock noticed that Rachel had a glimmer in her eye when she looked at Ash. He was going to make sure that he mentioned this to Ash at dinner.

After seeing Brock's antics with Nurse Joy, Rachel decided that she had put off asking Ash out on a date for long enough. Besides, if Brock could just run up to any girl he thought was pretty and ask her out on the spot, then she sure as hell could ask Ash out since they had been traveling together. Unbeknownst to her, Ash was thinking the exact same thing, although he had been considering it a lot longer.

"So, Brock where are we going for dinner?" Ash asked.

"I was thinking burgers and fries," Brock said. "There is a really good place not far from here."

"So fast food?" Rachel ask.

"No, it's actually more of a diner," Brock said. With that, the three of them walked to the restaurant. They arrived and got food not only for them, but also for their Pokémon. Brock had only his Blissey and Toxicroak with him. During dinner, Brock told them that his younger brother Forrest had taken over the Pewter Gym, and was doing an even better job than both Brock and Flint had before him. Misty remained the Cerulean City gym, and her sisters had decided that they would travel the world to perform their water ballets. Brock's studies had been rigorous, but he had passed his Pokémon pre-med classes with flying colors.

"Well Brock, it sounds like a lot has happened since the last time we saw each other," Ash said. "Well, I guess it's my turn to tell about my adventures." Ash told about his travels through Unova and Kalos, which Brock found intriguing. Then Ash and Rachel both began telling Brock about their travels so far in the American League. This got Brock's attention even more than the Unova and Kalos tales.

"So Team Rocket finally left you alone did they? It's about time," Brock said with a laugh. "There is one thing I'm curious about. Are you two dating?" He asked.

Ash and Rachel both blushed at the question, but Rachel answered in quite an unexpected way. "Not yet, but I hope we start soon," she said. Ash was surprised by this response. He already knew that Rachel wanted to be with him, but he never thought she would just say it.

"So, Ash, why haven't you asked her yet?" Brock asked.

"I was waiting for the right time," Ash said. "I was thinking that I would ask after we got our next badge, but now I guess I have to ask her out as soon as possible." Rachel grinned slyly. That had been her plan all along. Brock noticed and chuckled to himself. He decided to change the subject, since he had already set Ash's and Rachel's relationship in motion.

"By the way Rachel, I must say that your Pokémon are looking incredibly healthy. How did you get them looking so good?"

"My mom taught me everything she knows about taking care of Pokémon," Rachel said as she pet Delphox's head. "So breeding is almost second nature to me."

Brock nodded. He had guessed as much. Rachel's mother really was the greatest Pokémon breeder in the world, and it would stand to reason that Rachel had learned how to take care of Pokémon like a world-class breeder. They all stayed together for a while as they ate, and once they were done, they just wandered the city and enjoyed each other's company until Brock checked his watch. "Oh shit, it's almost midnight. I have an orientation session at 8:00 in the morning tomorrow. I need to get going," Brock said.

"Oh, well best of luck to you Brock," Ash said.

"Same to both of you in the American League, don't worry about the bill by the way, I covered it," Brock said.

"Wow, thank you Brock," Rachel said. With that, all three of them stood up, Brock and Ash shook hands like brothers before Brock left the diner. That left Ash and Rachel together, alone except for their Pokémon. Ash knew that now was as good of a time as any to ask Rachel to be his girlfriend. Besides, it wasn't like with Misty, who probably would have just laughed him off in the old days (or maybe hit him over the head). This time, Rachel had clearly admitted to wanting him to ask her out.

It took him a little while to muster up the courage to ask, but when they found a park bench in a particularly nice part of the city, Ash knew he couldn't put it off any longer. "Rachel?" Ash said kind of quietly.

Rachel smiled to herself. She knew what this was, and she had been waiting for Ash to finally gain the courage to ask her this question. "Yes, Ash?" she asked in a slightly seductive tone.

"I have been wondering. Would you be my girlfriend?" he asked with a deep blush going. Rachel could now feel herself blushing worse than ever before, despite having wanted this for a while. She was also smiling wider than ever. She didn't say a thing. Instead, Rachel leaned in and kissed Ash on the lips passionately. They only broke apart when they needed air. "I'll take that as a yes," Ash said. Pikachu was happy about what was happening. The Pokémon wanted nothing more than for Ash to be happy, and he could see that Rachel was making him happier than ever before. Besides, Pikachu really liked Rachel too.

Rachel giggled and smiled like a freshman girl who had just been asked out by the coolest and best-looking guy in school. "Of course," she said, with her giddiness evident. "Now we should probably get back to the Pokémon Center. We will be leaving for Forestra City tomorrow, so we will need our rest."

Ash and Rachel stood up hand-in-hand. Pikachu then surprised Ash by jumping onto Rachel's shoulder for the ride to the Pokémon Center. "Oh, hello there Pikachu," Rachel said with a laugh. "Do you want to try my shoulder for a little while?"

"Pikachu-Pika-pi," said the Pokémon. Ash and Rachel shared a laugh before they returned to the Pokémon Center. It was going to be a good night.

**Hope you enjoyed Brock's brief appearance. I figured he was the best one to bring Ash and Rachel together finally. Again, reviews and suggestions are welcome. Thanks for reading so far.**


	14. The Rainforest

**Once again, I have been busy as hell for a while, making writing very difficult. At the same time, I have also been creating the landscapes for each route, since I never did so for **_**Becoming a Master**_**. Enjoy.**

_The Rainforest_

Ash and Rachel stood on a hilltop overlooking Char City as they prepared to leave for Forestra City. The route ahead looked pretty clear for a while, but then it became a gigantic forest with mist swirling over it. Rachel was excited. This was going to be a long walk through a rainforest. The new couple had packed a lot of water and food because this would be a long, humid trip. Ash and Rachel both took a deep breath before leaving the hilltop and walking toward the forest. As they neared the tree line, they could see that there was already a path cleared through the forest, but it was winding and it was starting to become overgrown. Even before entering the forest, Ash, Rachel, and Pikachu all felt the oppressive humidity.

"Holy Arceus, this is going to suck isn't it?" Rachel said.

"Yeah, unfortunately it will, but if we move fast enough, we won't need to deal with the weather for very long," Ash replied.

"This is a two day walk at minimum, and that is if we are doing a power walk," Rachel said with a slight laugh.

"Well, we will make this walk as fast as possible without killing ourselves and our Pokémon," Ash said.

"Alright," Rachel said with a sigh. "I'm ready to go in." With that, Ash and Rachel entered the forest. On the first day, Rachel decided to try her luck at fishing, and since Jordan had given her a Super Rod before she left, she was able to catch one of the rarest of water Pokémon on her first cast: a Feebas.

"Well, it looks like I can get a Milotic on my team," Rachel said. "Mom usually keeps some items at the house use specifically for evolving Pokémon by trade, so she could send a Prism Scale to me so I can evolve Feebas."

"Well, I can trade one of my trade-evolving Pokémon with you, and then trade the Pokémon back when they evolve." Ash said.

"Which Pokémon do you have that can evolve through trade?" Rachel asked.

"I have a Boldore," Ash said. "Would that work?"

Rachel just kissed him lightly on the lips. "That is fine with me," she said. Ash smiled and returned that kiss. Pikachu just sat on Ash's backpack, pretending to be asleep and wishing for the first time ever to go into his Pokéball, just to avoid the eternally awkward situation of unwillingly being a third wheel.

From there, they both continued toward Forestra City. Repeatedly, they had to walk through heavy downpours and soaking wet ground, eventually they began battling each other, deciding to train their dragon Pokémon a bit before they got to the next Gym. They were training so hard that both Bagon and Gible wound up evolving into Shelgon and Gabite. Rachel gave Ash a celebratory kiss, but she was disappointed that Deino hadn't evolved yet.

"Don't worry about Deino. They only evolve after a great deal of hard training," Ash reassured Rachel.

"Yeah, I guess so. So, do you want to keep training?" Rachel asked.

"Sure, but only a few more battles before we find a place to set up camp," Ash said.

The next day came, and they rose early to hasten their arrival in Forestra. They walked for almost four hours and could finally see the end of the forest. Just as they passed the last tree, a little boy wearing jean shorts, a short sleeved t-shirt, a ball cap and tennis shoes ran toward them from Forestra City.

"Hello! Do you like shorts?" asked the boy. Ash and Rachel looked at each other with questioning glances.

"Yeah," Ash responded with the same questioning look directed to the boy now. "Why do you ask?"

"Don't you agree that they are comfy and easy to wear?" the boy asked. "Also, want to see my Rattata? It's in the top percentage of all Rattata."

"Uhh, no thanks," Rachel said hesitantly. That was when an older man came out from the brush behind him. The man was wearing clothing similar to what Morty from Ecruteak City in Johto wore. The only difference was that he wore short sleeves and a red hat.

"Joey, what have your parents and I told you about this behavior?" the man said.

The boy, who was apparently named Joey, gave the look of a shamed child. "That I shouldn't do it because it scares them."

"Good boy," said the man. He then looked at Ash and Rachel. "I am terribly sorry about my nephew, he has mental issues that causes him obsess over shorts and his Pokémon, although he is right that his Pokémon is in the top percentage of its species. The only thing he can't remember is that his Pokémon is actually a Raticate now. By the way, I am Hunter, the Forestra City Gym Leader. This is little guy's named Joey," he said.

"It is a pleasure to meet you Hunter, I am Rachel Moul and this is Ash Ketchum. Don't worry about Joey, he didn't cause any real trouble. We are actually on our way to challenge your gym," Rachel said.

"Is that so? Well, I can't wait to see what the daughter of Jordan and Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town can do," Hunter said.

"Wait, you know who we are?" Ash asked.

"Both of your reputations precede you," Hunter said with a smile. "You must be tired. Please, follow me to the Pokémon Center." Ash and Rachel agreed, so they followed Joey and Hunter into Forestra City, although they were slightly uncomfortable when Joey continuously staring at them while they walked toward the city. What they saw was a lot like a monastery, similar to Ecruteak City, but the buildings seemed a lot older than those in the Johto region. There were no towers, but the buildings were almost all stone or Tudor style. It brought back memories from Ash's time in Johto, but only briefly.

"Welcome to Forestra City!" said Hunter. He pointed toward a large building that looked to be abandoned, saying "And the gym is that building there. We will be battling there tomorrow when you two have been well rested from your trip through the forest."

"Sounds great. Thank you so much Hunter," Ash said. Hunter gave them a nod, grabbed Joey's hand and began walking to the gym. "So Rachel, you ready to make that trade now?"

Rachel just grabbed Ash's hand and half dragged him to the Pokémon Center. Ash just smiled and followed along. Pikachu just went along for the ride on Ash's shoulder. Upon arrival at the Pokémon Center, Rachel and Ash both had Nurse Joy take a look at their Pokémon while Rachel made the call to her mother to ask for a Prism Scale for her Feebas, which Sarah was more than happy to send. Ash then called Professor Oak to have his Boldore transported to him, exchanging his Gabite for Pokémon. Once both the Scale and the Pokémon had been received, and all of Ash's and Rachel's Pokémon restored, they went over to the trade machine. "Okay handsome, let's activate the machine together," Rachel said.

"Agreed, even if this is only a momentary trade," Ash said with a wink. With that, the two trainers initiated the trade. Rachel and Ash released both of the Pokémon who briefly appeared before evolving. Milotic was more beautiful than any Pokémon Ash and Rachel had ever seen, while Gigalith was immense and sturdy looking. Ash and Rachel both smiled at one another before recalling their Pokémon and sending them back through the trade machine. That was when Rachel and Ash both brought out and admired their newly evolved Pokémon, and Rachel was completely infatuated with her Milotic. After that, Rachel and Ash both had a battle with their new Pokémon to test their power. It was close battle, but Rachel was able to win due to the type advantage. That was when they decided to get some sleep, sharing a bed once again as couples do while they rested for their battle.

**I was hoping to make this chapter longer, but Rachel is too smart to get lost like Ash always does in the anime. I hope you enjoyed this addition to **_**Ash Goes American**_**. As always, reviews and suggestions are more than welcome. Thank you for reading so far.**


	15. The Ghastly Battle

**Sorry for the long wait. I was on a club trip to Kentucky for some paranormal investigations at the Perryville Battlefield and Waverly Hills Sanatorium. Both were incredible. Now, without further digression, here is the next chapter of **_**Ash Goes American**_**.**

_The Ghastly Battle_

Ash and Rachel stood together near the gym's entrance. Rachel was extremely confident now. She had trained her Pokémon a great deal, and she knew her Houndour alone could win this battle, but she also had Electrike and Milotic ready for battle. Rachel had decided that she wanted to face a team that was just as strong as those which Ash would face in his gym battles. She wanted to see just how far she had come on her journey, and this was her challenge.

Ash had his plan for this battle; he had brought his Greninja, Trevanent, and his Gabite for good measure. Ash would also be the first to battle in the next four gyms, as the young couple had decided earlier. Pikachu rode confidently on Ash's shoulder.

Rachel looked to Ash with a smile. "A kiss for luck!" she said as she brought him in quickly. She gave her boyfriend a quick, soft peck on the lips before they opened the gates to the gym. Pikachu just looked the other way and pretended to be interested in a nearby tree.

The gym was impressive to say the least. The exterior gave the image of an abandoned temple, but upon entering, the building was actually pristine, with an impressive battlefield. That was when Joey came sprinting up to Ash and Rachel. He was about to start talking about shorts and his 'Rattata' but Hunter ran right after him. "Joey, don't start this. You know they are here to challenge the gym, so please go back inside to your mom and dad," Hunter said. Joey looked only slightly disappointed as he proceeded to sprint back to the house-like building in the back of the gym. "Again, sorry about him," Hunter said.

"No trouble at all," Ash said. "But you were right that we are here for a gym battle first and foremost."

"Of course," Hunter said as he seemed to levitate toward the Gym Leader's box.

Rachel was surprised, but her shock quickly died and was replaced with a grin. "One of your Ghost Pokémon is lifting you isn't it?" Just as she said this, a Dusknoir appeared behind him.

"Come on, couldn't you just let me have my fun?" Hunter said with a chuckle. "Yes, this is my most powerful Pokémon, Dusknoir. You will both be facing him today, but I also have five more Pokémon that are also quite strong."

"Well good, I wouldn't want a weak opponent in this gym battle," Ash and Rachel said at the exact same time, almost as if they were sharing a brain. Hunter looked surprised, then just chuckled.

"You two are truly a couple, aren't you? Well then, why don't we change this to a double battle to make things interesting?" Hunter asked. "You two get one Pokémon each and I get two. If you can beat me that way, then you each earn a Specter Badge. Agreed?"

Ash and Rachel looked at each other, they had never tried a double battle before, but it seemed as good of a chance to try a double battle. "Sure," they said simultaneously again, Rachel just blushed and bit her bottom lip lightly. Hunter just laughed.

"Alright you two love birds. We shall begin the battle, and I choose my Dusknoir and Spiritomb," Hunter said as he threw a Pokéball out onto the field, sending out the spectral Pokémon.

Ash trusted Rachel to make a sound judgment, but he wanted to be absolutely sure. "Go Greninja!" he called.

"Go, Houndour!" Rachel called. Both Pokémon appeared, and they were ready to battle. Ash and Rachel shot winks at each other as they formulated a strategy in an instant.

"Dusknoir, use Shadow Punch on Houndour. Spiritomb use Hypnosis on Greninja!" Hunter said, giving the first command and beginning the battle.

"Greninja, use Water Gun to create a counter-shield!" Ash commanded Greninja did as commanded, almost breakdancing on the battlefield, spiraling water around, blocking both the Hypnosis and Shadow Punch. Hunter was not as surprised about this as most of Ash's opponents were when they saw a counter shield for the first time. This was likely due to Ash using the technique on global television during the Kalos Champion League battles.

"Houndour, use Incinerate!" Rachel commanded. She intended to hit both Spiritomb and Dusknoir simultaneously. Houndour fired two balls of fire, one at each Pokémon. The attacks hit their mark, not doing much damage, but there was more fire around Spiritomb's Keystone, and the charred remains of a Sitrus Berry fell out of it. Ash smiled. Rachel was thinking more strategically than he had by his fifth gym battle.

Hunter was impressed, but he wasn't to be beaten so easily. "Dusknoir, use Shadow Sneak on Greninja! Spiritomb, use Toxic on Houndour!" Dusknoir disappeared into the ground, while Spiritomb shot a ball of mud-like poison.

"Greninja, redirect that Toxic with Water Shurikan!" Ash called out. Greninja managed to throw two water shurikans at the ball of sludge before Dusknoir came out of the ground and punched Greninja in the back, sending the frog sprawling. Luckily, Houndour was able to dodge more easily thanks to Greninja's attacks.

"Houndour, use Feint Attack on Dusknoir!" Rachel said. Houndour then sprinted toward Dusknoir, vanishing an instant as Dusknoir tried to stop him. The dark hound reappeared as it slammed into Dusknoir's face. The ghost fell back a few steps, but it was not defeated yet. Houndour landed nimbly a few feet from Dusknoir.

"Greninja, get up and use Hydro Pump on Spiritomb!" Ash commanded. Greninja leapt high into the air before firing a torrent of water at Spiritomb, hitting the Pokémon hard. The dark ghost fell to the ground, creating a small crater. That, however, didn't end it.

"Dusknoir, use Will-o-Wisp on Houndour!" Hunter commanded. Dusknoir created five blue balls of fire and threw them at Houndour. Houndour had no time to dodge, but when it got hit it seemed to be just fine. It even seemed to grow stronger than before. Rachel was surprised, but she soon realized that the show wasn't over. Houndour seemed to take the energy from the Will-o-Wisp and he began to evolve. Everything stopped on the battlefield while Houndour grew into Houndoom. Rachel leapt for joy and hugged Ash in her joy, but only briefly before the couple both gave their next commands.

"Greninja/Houndoom, Dark Pulse!" Ash and Rachel said simultaneously. Both Pokémon fired a stream of black rings at both Spiritomb and Dusknoir. Both Pokémon were hit hard and they flew back as the attacks continued to do severe damage. Both Pokémon landed near Hunter's feet, both were knocked out.

"Well, it looks like you have won decisively. Congratulations to both of you. Here are your Specter Badges," Hunter said as he handed Ash and Rachel badges that looked like a ghostly hand reaching toward them. "Rachel, congratulations on your Houndour evolving; it was quite the sight to behold."

"Thank you Hunter," both Ash and Rachel said simultaneously. They looked at each other and began to laugh at how similar they had become.

"I must say though, that was easily the fastest battle I have ever had here. You two really know what you're doing on the battlefield," Hunter complemented. Ash and Rachel smiled and thanked Hunter once again for the great battle before they departed for the Pokémon Center. It was still early in the day, so they could potentially get started in their journey toward San Danga for their next battle. They chose to leave that afternoon and travel at least until they hit the sea shore, where they would need to cross to get to San Danga. The gym there was supposed to be a Fairy Type gym, so Ash was looking forward to it.

They had just arrived at the Pokémon Center when they both heard somebody running toward them. "Rachel!" said the man, who looked to be about twenty years old, approaching them. "How are you doing?"

"Ross?" Rachel said with excitement. "I'm great, but what are you doing here?"

"I was just doing some training in the forest. There haven't been any challengers recently, so I decided to travel around a little," Ross said. Ash looked at the man who was apparently Rachel's cousin and the American League Champion. The cousins had some resemblance, but Ross had brown eyes and hair, and was well over six feet tall. Ross apparently was examining Ash as well. "I know I've seen your face before. Are you Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town?"

"I am," Ash said. "It's nice to meet you Ross."

"He's been traveling with me since I started my journey," Rachel said. "And now we are dating."

Ross was surprised, but not overly concerned. "So Rachel, you finally found somebody who you connect with? That's great." Ross then turned to Ash. "I know this is sudden, but I would like to battle you Ash. I want to learn your personality."

Ash smiled and Pikachu leapt off his shoulder, ready to battle. "Challenge accepted," Ash said. He and Pikachu were raring to battle with this powerful opponent.

**Thank you all for waiting patiently for this next chapter. I was incredibly busy with both midterms and my Spring Break trip. Anyway, as always reviews and suggestions are welcome. San Danga Gym leader is named Jorgon, and his best Pokémon will be a Sylveon. The other Pokémon are up for suggestion.**


	16. The Phoenix is Reborn

**I would like to apologize to readers who feel frustrated with how the writing has gone recently. I have been going through some writer's block when considering how the story should proceed. I have finally come up with the routes Rachel and Ash will be traversing as well as the battles that they will be taking part in. I am hoping that this chapter and future stories will keep me at a higher standard so I'm not just writing battle scenes. I hope you enjoy this next chapter of **_**Ash Goes American**_**.**

_The Phoenix is Reborn_

"Chesnaught, return!" Ross called out to his first Pokémon after it had beaten Pikachu almost too easily. Ash was in shock, he had never seen such power from a grass type, not even from Sceptile. "You fought well out there Ash, but you have a long way before you can beat me. I'm sure Uncle Jordan told you that the American League is one of the toughest leagues in the world, and he was right. Don't fret too much over this loss, you lasted much longer than any other trainer I battled unofficially," Ross said. Ash held Pikachu, worried for his Pokémon's health. Thankfully, they were right next to a Pokémon Center, so he, Rachel, and Ross all went inside to have their Pokémon rejuvenated. While the trainers waited for the check-ups to be completed, they went to find a seat in the lobby.

"So, what did you think of Ash," Rachel asked Ross. "You have always had a knack for reading a person's personality just by battling them."

Ross looked at Ash sternly. Ash was a little freaked out, but Ross put him at ease when he said "Well, he has one of the strongest bonds with his Pokémon I have ever seen. He seems to be closest to Pikachu, but you already knew that," Rachel's cousin said.

"So, have you ever battled against Jordan or Connor?" Ash asked, a little curious to hear what battle experience Ross had. Ash also wanted to learn more about Jordan's battle strategies since their battle was fast approaching.

Ross sighed and smiled. "I knew that question was coming. Yes I have, and while I beat Dad a long time ago, I could never defeat Uncle Jordan. He really is something else when it comes to battling," Ross said. "I just keep training until, one day, I can even defeat my Uncle in a Pokémon battle. That has been my goal for almost five years now, and I challenge him almost every year, but I have never been able to even come close to beating any of his Pokémon."

Rachel nodded. "Daddy may be retired, but he still trains every one of his Pokémon nearly every day. I have wanted to be better than him for a while, but I know I have a long way to go," she said.

Ross then looked at Ash. "So, Mr. Ketchum, what brought you to the American League in the first place?"

"Well, Professor Isaac was impressed with my performance in Kalos, so he invited me to visit so he could meet me and learn more about my Pokémon," Ash said.

Ross nodded. "I also see that you are wearing a Mega Evolution Keystone. So, you have a Pokémon who can Mega Evolve, am I right?"

Ash smiled, he was always happy to discuss his Pokémon. "I do. I have a Charizard, although he is currently back home with Professor Oak. I could bring him here if you would like."

"That won't be necessary, but should you manage to get through the Elite Four, then please, be sure to bring your Charizard. It would make more than a match for my own Mega-Evolving Pokémon," Ross said as he began to depart.

"Which Pokémon is that Ross?" Ash asked.

"That is for you to find out. Rachel, don't let Ash get away from you, in both your relationship and in Pokémon, you wouldn't want to have the Moul family record of Champions be taken by your boyfriend," Ross said with a wink.

Rachel was blushing, and was feigning anger "Oh, will you just butt out!" She yelled to her cousin, unable to suppress a laugh. Ross just chuckled as he left. Almost immediately after Ross left, Pikachu, Greninja, and Houndoom had fully recovered and were quite happy. Once the Pokémon were back in their Pokéballs and Pikachu was back on Ash's shoulders, the two left for the shoreline, hoping to reach San Danga town by the next day. They didn't know what was awaiting them when they got to the beach.

_POV Change: Team Phoenix's Mike_

By the sea shore that led to San Danga town was a newer building that gave off an eerie vibe. There were men and women in dark purple, hooded garments with red streaks along the sides. The building looked like a small, red brick pyramid, with a glass office at the top. In that office stood three figures. The first was a man, who was seated behind a desk and wore a business suit. The other two were a man and a woman who wore the standard uniforms of the organization that had taken up operations on this shoreline. This organization was none other than the restored Team Phoenix.

It had been nearly twenty-five years since Jordan had obliterated Team Phoenix. Now, the Phoenix had risen from the ashes, and Mike was at the helm this time. Their original leader, Emmanuel, had never been seen after he and the other national crime bosses had badly lost to Jordan, so Mike had salvaged what he could from Team Phoenix and he started anew. He had two lieutenants, Liza and Drake. Both were very skilled trainers, and Mike knew the perfect test of strength. The team had learned that Jordan Moul's daughter was traveling with Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town. Mike sat at what used to be Emmanuel's desk, which was made of maroon-colored mahogany, although the room was much less extravagant and Mike wore suits that were far less gauche. "Do you two understand your mission?" Mike asked his lieutenants, who stood at attention in front of the desk.

"Perfectly sir," both Liza and Drake.

"Excellent. I want you to pull this mission off without any difficulty, and our plans will go flawlessly and we will do what even Emmanuel couldn't do; we will control the entire world with our ancient Pokémon," Mike said as he stood up and looked out the window behind him, facing the ocean. He enjoyed this view. It kept him from losing his temper like Emmanuel did so often with his subordinates. The ocean was bluer than the Caribbean Sea, and there were palm trees everywhere. He knew, however, that if his subordinates failed to subdue Ash and Rachel, they would be in trouble. This was especially due to Ash's reputation in other regions to screw up the plans of criminal organizations.

"Now, go and make me proud," Mike said. He heard Liza and Drake leave his office, and soon after they were heading toward the route leading to Forestra City.

_POV Change: Ash and Rachel:_

Ash and Rachel both noticed that Pikachu seemed to be on edge as they traveled toward the ocean. "What's the matter Pikachu?" Ash asked.

"Pikachu, Pika-pi," said the electric mouse.

"Somebody is coming?" Ash said to clarify. Pikachu nodded. Ash looked at Rachel with concern. Pikachu never got this edgy when other people were nearby unless he had a reason.

"My Pokémon are ready to battle anytime," Rachel said confidently, but with some concern in her voice. That was the exact moment they were all hit with Hypnosis, falling asleep on the spot. Drake and Liza slipped from the trees with a Hypno beside them.

"That was a close one, wasn't it Drake," said Liza, who was actually quite pretty, with strawberry blonde hair in a ponytail. She stood at about 5'6" and had more impressive "attributes" than even Delia. Her eyes were an icy blue color that seemed to pierce the soul of those who looked at them.

"Yeah, I thought these two would be a challenge to bring in, but it seems we over estimated them," said Drake. He had short brown hair and a scar under his left eyelid. He was about 5'11", but on the taller side. He had sharp features and a strong looking physique. "Let's not waste too much time, the boss is waiting."

The operatives of Team Phoenix took Rachel and Ash to their base, which would house them until the plans were completed. Another set of eyes was watching, however, but they weren't human or even in the same realm. The one who had been watching was disappointed now. He hoped this day would never come, but it unfortunately had despite the actions of the previous Chosen One. Now it seemed the new Chosen One was in serious danger. Arceus decided that he would intervene at the most opportune time.

_Time Skip: Two Days_

Ash, Rachel and Pikachu all woke up simultaneously in what looked like a prison cell made entirely of concrete. Ash immediately grabbed one of his Pokéballs, only to find that it would not activate. "Hello Ash Ketchum, Rachel Moul, and of course Pikachu," said a deeply commanding voice. "I hope you aren't upset with the actions of my lieutenants, but we had to take pre-emptive action to ensure that you would not interfere in our plans." Ash looked for the source of the voice, seeing a man in a maroon business suit standing at the cell doors.

Rachel gasped as she saw the insignia on his coat's pocket: a phoenix. "Team Phoenix? But how? Daddy destroyed this organization years ago," she said.

"No, he merely reduced our strength. He never really finished that job," said the man. "Your father and I battled many times, but he soon surpassed me to an extreme. So, I think I will complete the vision of Team Phoenix to spite him and his legacy. And by legacy, I mean you, Rachel."

"I don't know how you know my name, but I will get out of here and follow in Daddy's footsteps," Rachel yelled.

The man just laughed. "I don't know how you'll do that. This cell is impervious to all attacks, and your Pokéballs don't work, so you can't call on them. Pikachu isn't strong enough to do so on his own anyway. Face it; the only way you will leave this cell without my specific orders is if Arceus himself comes to save you. That won't happen because Arceus doesn't give a shit about you two. Food will be served routinely. Also, no intimacy while the guards are here," the man said with a laugh as he left.

"Wait," Ash called out. "We have a right to know who our captor is. What is your name?"

The man stopped and turned toward them. "I am Mike. That is the only name you will get for me," he said. With that he left the couple alone with Pikachu and the guards. Ash sighed. It was going to be a long time before they got out unless he took action.

Ash knew he was still a rookie with aura, but he had to try. He sat cross-legged and began to meditate. "What are you doing?" Rachel asked.

"I am going to try to get us out of here. I'll explain it later, but right now I need to concentrate," Ash said. Rachel trusted her boyfriend to do as ha promised, so she waited. After nearly an hour, a light blue ball of energy began to form in front of Ash. Rachel was amazed at what she was seeing.

"Ash can use aura?" she thought. This was unreal, but she wondered why he hadn't told her before. Ash then threw his aura sphere at the door, hoping to break it down. The attack wasn't enough though, and it only produced a high pitched ringing. Ash was deeply exhausted, he knew he wouldn't be able to use aura again for a while. The exhaustion got the better of Ash and he felt like he was falling to the ground. Rachel caught Ash before he hit the floor, Pikachu calling out to his trainer in concern.

"Ash, are you alright?" Rachel asked with concern. Ash regained consciousness quickly, holding his head, which throbbed from a pounding headache.

"Yeah," Ash said. "Yeah, I'll be fine. I'm just not used to using aura yet. I didn't get a chance to train to use it like an Aura Guardian." Rachel nodded. It was still impressive that Ash could use aura at all.

"Well, what are we going to do now?" Rachel asked.

"I don't know," Ash said. "We may be at Team Phoenix's mercy for a while."

_POV Change: Mike_

Mike watched as Liza and Drake carried out the last preparations for Mike's plan. Every Phoenix member had incredibly powerful ancient Pokémon on their teams. The operatives also had a mixture of other Pokémon that were just as powerful.

"Emmanuel, are you watching? We will finally fulfill Team Phoenix's dreams," Mike said. "Liza, Drake, tomorrow we begin our operation. We begin at 0400 tomorrow."

"Yes sir," Drake said. Three hours later, the preparations were just being completed. Mike was about to leave when a massive earthquake struck and an incredibly loud, deep roar echoed throughout the building, making Mike freeze. He knew that roar all too well.


	17. Arceus's Rage

**Sorry for the long wait, I have been extremely busy once again. A quick note for this chapter: Arceus will speak through telepathy, and his thoughts/speech will be written as follows:** _Arceus's Speech_.

_Arceus's Rage_

Ash awoke suddenly as both he and the ground shook violently. Rachel was standing over Ash, holding his shoulders. "Good, you're awake. Now we have to break out of here," Rachel said.

Ash was confused, he didn't remember falling asleep, but he didn't have time to question their predicament. The walls were crumbling around them. Ash reached for his Pokéballs and found that they actually worked this time. Ash grinned and threw his Pokéball. "Go Charizard!" he called. Charizard roared as he came forth. "Alright Charizard, we need to break out, we'll need your full power. Now, Mega Evolve!" Charizard began this process with a powerful roar.

_POV Change: Mike_

Mike remembered the being that was forming before him from the time when he was Emmanuel's lieutenant. It was after Team Phoenix had stupidly angered Arceus in the Char City Temple with their attempt to open a rift to Arceus's realm nearly a quarter of a century ago, and the god Pokémon had temporarily banished them to the Distortion World. Mike realized too late that he had screwed up just as Emmanuel had before him.

Now Arceus was pissed again, but Mike couldn't think of what he could have done to anger the god of Pokémon. No matter how much he thought about it, he couldn't understand what had angered Arceus. Team Phoenix hadn't actually done anything except… "SHIT! ARCEUS MUST HAVE AN INTEREST IN ASH AND RACHEL!" Mike said. That was when the cell alarms began to ring through the building. "Arceus damn it all, it's just one thing after another." Mike grabbed a radio nearby and called for the cell guards. "Status report, what the hell is going on down there?" he called out. All he got was static for a while before another familiar voice came through.

"Well Mike, it seems that you are in the middle of a shit storm upstairs, but you forgot about the hurricane from below. I don't know what's going on up there, but you should be just as concerned about me and Rachel. Be ready." The next sound he heard was the roar of a Charizard before the radio went silent.

Mike turned toward his subordinates. "You all fight Arceus, and do not let up for even a second. I must deal with the escaped prisoners!" he called out. "Liza, Drake! You two are in charge until I come back!" Both of the lieutenants nodded before they turned to the situation in the hanger. Mike ran toward the hallway, but he stopped as a gigantic jet of blue flame shot out from the hall leading to the prison cells. Arceus then took his full form.

_Mike, you have angered me greatly._ Arceus said through telepathy._ I spared you twenty-five years ago, and you do this! I spared you from my wrath last time and took Emmanuel alone, and then you went and imprisoned my Chosen One. You have had three chances and you failed all three._

Then Arceus turned to Ash, Charizard, Pikachu, and Rachel. _Ash, don't hold back, and don't let anybody escape._ Ash nodded and glared at Mike as the Phoenix boss threw out his first Pokéball. Out came an Aerodactyl.

"Ash, I'm going to stop the other operatives, you focus on Mike!" Rachel called out.

"Charizard, use Dragon Pulse!" Ash commanded. The black and blue Charizard shot a beam of purple and green energy at Aerodactyl. The prehistoric flyer was thrown back from the attack, although it was still able to battle. Ash didn't give it time to recover. "Use Seismic Toss and augment it with a Dragon Tail!" Charizard grabbed Aerodactyl and flew in a circle in the sky before plummeting toward the ground while its tail glowed blue-green. Charizard let go of Aerodactyl before flipping and slamming its tail into Aerodactyl's back. Aerodactyl crashed into the ground hard. Mike was not happy, but he was still confident he could win this.

_POV Change: Rachel_

"Delphox, Milotic, Houndoom, Electrike, Fearow, Excadrill, Go!" Rachel called out as she sent out every Pokémon she had with her. "Now, don't let a single Team Phoenix member escape or attack Arceus! I trust that you know what to do." Every Pokémon went their own way, Rachel trusting their judgment. She then turned toward the majesty that is Arceus. "Arceus, thank you for helping us. I will not let you down," she said. Arceus maintained a serious demeanor and he nodded to acknowledge her.

_ I know you will not disappoint me. Now, show me how well Jordan's child has trained and bonded with her Pokémon._ Sarah turned back to her Pokémon and watched as they spread out, going where they had the best chances of success. They were battling fiercely in just a short time.

_POV Change: Ash_

"Charizard, Fire Blast!" Ash called out. Charizard shot a blue ball of flames that Mike's Cradily. That ball of fire fanned out into a humanoid shape as it struck Cradily hard. The barnacle Pokémon was thrown back, despite its Suction Cups.

"Cradily!" Mike called out to his Pokémon with concern. He had already lost three of his Pokémon in this battle, and he hadn't even taken down Ash's Charizard, let alone any of his other Pokémon, which he hadn't even seen other than Pikachu.

"I'm tired of this," Ash said. "Charizard use Dragon Tail on Mike!" Charizard flew at Mike and slapped the man with his aqua-glowing tail. Mike went into a flipping flight before slamming into the wall and creating a dent in the wall, where the crime boss fell into unconsciousness. Ash jumped onto Charizard's back "Alright Charizard, we need to protect Arceus now!" he said. Charizard roared in response, and he flew toward the Pokémon god. Ash and Rachel reunited on the floor below Arceus's feet.

_Ash and Rachel, return your Pokémon to their Pokéballs immediately. I am ending this now._ Arceus said. Ash and Rachel didn't question Arceus, especially since their work was pretty much done.

"Return!" both Ash and Rachel called out as all of their Pokémon came back to their Pokéballs. When every Pokémon was back inside their Pokéball; Ash, Pikachu, and Rachel were levitated onto Arceus's back before Arceus began to glow with energy. He roared and a gigantic ball of white energy formed in front of him. That energy flew around the room, gathering every Team Phoenix member inside of it. The ball finished collecting the criminals, catching Liza, Drake, and Mike last. It then began to flicker between black and white, steadily slowing down until it stopped on black. The ball got smaller until there was nothing left.

"Thank you so much Arceus," Ash said. "We owe you one."

_No Ash, it was I who owe you one, especially since you were the one who returned the Jewel of Life to me. Besides, you are the Chosen One, and that means a great deal. Now, hold on tightly._

That was when Arceus teleported to the one place Ash and Rachel thought no human would ever see: the Hall of Origin. It was an enormous location, which had streets of white gold, sided with marble, and diamond. Ash was momentarily unable to take his eyes away from the astounding beauty in front of him, but he wasn't looking at the Hall, instead he had his eyes firmly locked on Rachel. A few minutes later, Ash managed to look at the place they had come too, and it was a marvel that should have only lived in the imagination.

_Welcome to my home. It is here that you shall be resting and training for a week. I will not restrain you here if you choose to go back early, but I will advise you to stay. It will be for the best for you to do so._

"Don't worry Arceus, we don't plan on leaving this place for a while," Rachel said, which was the same as what Ash was about to say. Arceus seemed pleased as he levitated the trio to the ground.

_Great, now please follow me to where you will be sleeping._ Arceus said as he shrunk down to being about the same height as Ash and Rachel. _You should know that you will recuperate twice as fast here, and your Pokémon will get stronger much easier than normal._

Ash was impressed. There was literally no downside to staying here, especially since Ash needed to get much stronger in order to battle and win against Ross.

**Let me know how you liked this chapter, leave me reviews and suggestions about what should happen in this story.**


	18. Origin Hall

**Hello all my readers. I hope you have been enjoying **_**Ash Goes American**_** so far, and I promise that it will keep getting better. Also, I am considering doing another Ash Betrayed story when this one is finished. Let me know what you think of this idea.**

_Origin Hall_

Ash woke up feeling a light pressure on his lips. He opened his eyes and saw Rachel kissing him tenderly. When she broke the kiss, Ash smiled "What a great way to wake up," he said. "Good morning beautiful."

"Good morning my love," Rachel said. "Are you ready to start our daily training?" she asked.

"I don't know," Ash said with a chuckle. "This bed is the most comfortable bed I have ever felt. I almost don't want to leave it."

"I know what you mean, but we should take advantage of the enhanced growth our Pokémon will get when we train here," Rachel said.

"I agree," Ash said with a sigh. He then looked to his closest Pokémon friend. "Pikachu! Are you ready?"

"Pika Pika," said the Pokémon groggily as it woke up.

"Let's get something to eat before we go training," Ash said. Suddenly, a buffet appeared in their room with a table set in the center of the room. "Well, it seems Arceus can hear us. Thank you Arceus!"

Ash, Rachel, and Pikachu enjoyed a great meal which had the finest food that either of them had ever tasted, and Ash had eaten some amazing food in Lumiose City. They then got dressed. When they were all finished, Ash and Rachel went out to the battlefield to begin their training. Arceus was waiting for them there. _Hello you two. I trust you enjoyed your breakfast. If you do not mind, I will be watching your training and I will keep your Pokémon safe from taking too much damage._

Ash and Rachel were more than happy to have the Pokémon god observe their training. They sent out all of their Pokémon at the same time. They began with Ash battling against type disadvantages, and then Rachel battled when she had type disadvantages, all the while Arceus never stopped watching the two trainers. After nearly three whole hours of training, Ash and Rachel were on their last battle for that training session.

"Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!" Ash commanded.

"Milotic, use Protect!" Rachel said. Just as Pikachu's attack was about to hit, Milotic created a green sphere of light around it, deflecting the electric attack and taking no damage. "Now, Hydro Pump!" she called out.

"Pikachu dodge and use Iron Tail!" Ash called out. Pikachu spun in midair to avoid the water attack and then spun quickly to strike Milotic with a glowing white tail. Milotic seemed to be injured slightly, but it wasn't out of the fight.

"Milotic, use Recover. Then use Swift!" Rachel said. Milotic began to glow gold and her wounds healed completely. Then seven large stars materialized out of thin air, then those stars fired at Pikachu.

"Pikachu, use Agility, then Electro Ball!" Ash said.

"Pika-Pi!" Pikachu cried out as he sprinted around, dodging the stars with seemingly impossible speed. Then a ball of lightning formed at the tip of Pikachu's tail. "Pikapikapikachu Pi!" he yelled as he threw the Electro Ball at Milotic. The ball made contact, exploding and kicking up dust. When the dust had cleared, Milotic had fainted.

_That was a great battle, both of you. It is obvious to me that both of you have incredibly strong bonds with your Pokémon. I am glad to see that humans still care for Pokémon as their brethren. Now, feel free to explore the Hall of Origin for the rest of the day._ With that, Arceus departed while Ash and Rachel returned all of their Pokémon to their Pokéballs. Pikachu took the unusual seat on Rachel's shoulder, rubbing his cheek against the girl who had brought Ash so much happiness since they met. Rachel giggled at the unexpected affection. They went exploring for multiple hours until they could tell that it was getting late.

Rachel decided to take a leap of faith tonight as she leaned in close to Ash's ear and seductively whispered, "Since you won most of our battles, I think you deserve a reward tonight."

Ash was more than excited now, so he asked Pikachu to come with him briefly. "Okay Pikachu, here is the deal. I will give you an entire bottle of ketchup if you sleep in another room tonight. Agreed?"

Pikachu rolled his eyes, but given that there was a bottle of ketchup on the line here, he had to agree. That was when, out of thin air, a bottle of ketchup appeared and Pikachu leapt into the air to grab it. "Pika pi!" said the little Pokémon, who walked toward a different room, already eating from his bottle of ketchup, which was the best ketchup he had ever tasted.

"Thanks buddy," Ash said before returning to Rachel. "Now, shall we go to bed?"

"Yes, of course, but you will have to carry me bridal style," Rachel said with a wink. As soon as she said that, Ash swept her off her feet both literally and figuratively. They both arrived in the room five minutes later. Ash couldn't hide his emotions at that point. Both Rachel and Ash gave in to their deepest desires.

_Time Skip: The next morning_

Rachel lay on top of Ash, just waking up from their incredible night. She was about to wake Ash up, but she was surprised to see Ash already awake and he was just watching her. "Good morning beautiful," Ash said.

"What are you doing up already?" Rachel said, already knowing the answer to her question, but she wanted to hear it from Ash first.

"Just admiring you while you sleep," Ash said. "It is just about time to begin our training today. So, unfortunately we have to get out of bed now."

Rachel sighed. "Alright, if I have to," she said feigning unhappiness. Nevertheless, Rachel got up, carrying the sheets with her to cover up. After a few minutes of both of the young adults getting dressed and eating breakfast, they were once again ready to start their training for the day.

"Pika-pi!" Ash heard outside the room. Ash looked outside briefly only to see Pikachu was almost completely covered in ketchup.

"Oh great," Ash said with a sense of regret. "I knew I shouldn't have given him that ketchup. Hey Arceus, I need something to wash Pikachu off with." As soon as Ash said that he heard Pikachu cry out in surprise. Both Ash and Rachel ran out of the room with some concern. This was quickly replaced by laughter. What they saw was Pikachu imprisoned in a Pikachu-sized shower which was giving Pikachu a full-body wash. Pikachu was giving Ash and Rachel a look that said "Please make it stop." All that Pikachu's look elicited was more laughter from both Ash and Rachel. After a few minutes, Pikachu was dried off and the shower disappeared. When Pikachu was completely visible again there wasn't a single drop of ketchup left on him, but he looked agitated. "Hey, I'm sorry about that Pikachu. You just needed to be cleaned off."

Pikachu would hear none of it. He let loose a Thunderbolt, shocking Ash just enough to make his agitation clear. "Okay Pikachu," Ash said with some effort. "Point taken." Ash just collapsed for a moment.

Arceus appeared then, chuckling to himself. _It seems that you and Pikachu have a rather electrifying relationship._

Rachel laughed at Arceus's joke while she helped Ash to his feet. Ash brushed himself off quickly before Pikachu got back onto his shoulder, forgiving Ash for what had just happened. "Alright, let's get back to training," Ash said.

_Actually Ash, I have different training for you personally. Your Pokémon will work with Rachel alone. I wish to train you to use your aura._

Ash was stunned. "Seriously?" he asked.

_Yes, now please come with me and leave your Pokémon with Rachel. That includes Pikachu._ Arceus then walked off. Ash handed Rachel his belt of Pokéballs and Pikachu leapt onto Rachel's shoulder.

"Good luck with your training Ash," Rachel said.

"Thanks Rachel. I will see you when I'm done training," Ash said as he followed Arceus to a different room. Once they arrived, Arceus turned to face Ash.

_Now, my Chosen Trainer, please sit cross-legged and meditate._ Ash did as he was told. _I want you to block out all other sensations and focus on your inner energy._ Once again, Ash did as commanded. _Now, stay like this until you can sense your aura clearly. Once that is done, let me know._

_Time Skip: 5 days_

Ash had made a great deal of progress. He easily mastered sensing his own aura, sensing the aura of his Pokémon and Rachel in the distance, and now Ash was now working on forming more powerful aura spheres. This time, unlike when he had used the power in the Phoenix base, he was able to create multiple without feeling fatigue. Ash and Arceus were near the end of their training session for the day.

_I must say, you are quite an impressive Aura Guardian, Ash. Your skills may even have surpassed those of Sir Aaron of Old. There is nothing more I can teach you. The rest of your training must be your own. Now, rejoin Rachel and your Pokémon. Tomorrow is the day that you are to return to your own realm._

Ash bowed low to Arceus. "Thank you for all of your instruction," he said. "I swear that I will not disappoint you as your Chosen One."

_I know you won't._

_Time Skip: The Next Morning_

Rachel and Ash stood at the Hall of Origin's exit, Pikachu riding on Ash's head. Arceus was behind them to see them off. _You two have trained hard over this past week and you have progressed greatly, but it is time for you to head back home. When you leave, you will be back on the shoreline that Team Phoenix's base was. You will be back on the road where those two Team Phoenix members kidnapped you. Also, no time will have passed from when Team Phoenix was destroyed._

"Thank you Arceus," both Ash and Rachel said as they bowed respectfully. Just as they turned around and prepared to leave, a gigantic, glowing white gateway formed before them.

_You both have bright futures ahead of you. Good luck._ With that, Ash and Rachel both walked through the gate. Then, with a blinding light, they once again found themselves in a very familiar location. Resonating through their minds was Arceus's voice. _Now, go and fulfill your dreams._

Rachel turned to Ash, gave him a quick peck on his check before walking off toward the sound of the ocean. Ash just followed with a chuckle.


	19. Trip to San Danga

_Trip to San Danga_

It was a beautiful day, the temperature just below eighty degrees Fahrenheit without a cloud in the sky, along with a slight breeze. Rachel stood on the bow of the ferry, named _The Wave Runner_, enjoying the wind as they cut through the waves traveling toward San Danga City. The town itself was known world-wide for having one of the greatest beach resorts in the world, but also for its aquarium, which contained a shiny Wailord. The Pokémon gym there was supposed to be a lot like that of Cinnabar Island, because it seemed to have been overshadowed by the tourist attractions of the island.

Rachel had come to the bow to relieve some stress with fresh air. She had never battled a Fairy Pokémon and she had only one Pokémon with an advantage over Fairy Pokémon, and that was Excadrill. While Excadrill had become exponentially stronger, he would have trouble against a full team of fairy type. Her Deino had become a Zweilous while with Arceus, but it would still be a long time before it evolved again, but it would be suicide to use Zweilous in this gym and all those following this one. And to top it all off, the gym leader of San Danga was supposed to be an intimidating, heavily muscled man from the army. His Pokémon were supposed to be at the pinnacle of health and strength. She had been on the bow for almost two hours and there was land coming into view, yet no solutions had come to her mind. She blew an exasperated sigh. That was when she felt a slightly familiar weight leap onto her shoulder, and she couldn't help but smile.

"Hello Pikachu," Rachel said as she reached up to pet the little electric mouse on the cheek.

"Chaa," Pikachu cooed from the pleasure of Rachel's caressing. That was when Rachel felt a very welcomed presence as the strong arms of her love wrapped around her waist from behind.

"Hey Rachel, are you feeling okay?" Ash asked with a concerned tone of voice. "You still seem uneasy."

"I am fine," Rachel sighed. "Just a little worried about this gym battle."

"I know how you feel. I have been worried about gym battles in the past, especially when I first started my journey."

"What gym worried you the most?" Rachel asked.

"It has to be a tie between the Pewter Gym and the Saffron Gym. Pewter was just because it was my first gym battle ever, but Saffron was because Sabrina was a deadly psychic who tried to kill me and my friends repeatedly."

"I see," Rachel said. "I don't know why I am so concerned. It should not be this frightening to battle Fairy Pokémon, even if the trainer is from the army."

"From this man's description, he sounds like Lt. Surge from Kanto. He will be tough, but not unbeatable," Ash said. "Don't be too worried about this battle. Besides, it's not like we didn't get a full week of training in Origin Hall with Arceus."

Rachel just laughed lightly at the truth of what Ash had said. She had no reason to doubt herself. This was just her nerves getting the better of her. "Thanks Ash," she said. They decided to stay on the bow, reenacting scenes from _Titanic_, with their arms spread to the side like DiCaprio, and Ash even yelled out "I'M KING OF THE WORLD!" Rachel just laughed at her boyfriend's antics.

Within two hours, the boat had docked at the port of San Danga, and the young trainer couple was on dry land once again. In a few minutes, Rachel was shocked to see a couple familiar faces. "Hey! Rachel!" Sarah called.

Rachel looked ecstatic. "MOM!" she called out as she ran to her mother and hugged her tightly. "It's so good to see you again."

"Hey Rachel," Jordan said as he came up and kissed his daughter.

"Hi Daddy, what are you two doing here?" Rachel asked.

"Well, this place is a popular resort, and since we heard that you were on your way here, your mother and I decided to come on a miniature vacation and surprise you when you arrived," Jordan said. He then turned his attention to Ash. "Well, Mr. Ketchum, you are looking well. Have you been training hard for the American League?"

"Thank you Mr. Moul, it's great to see you as well. As for my training, well it would probably be best to tell you in private what happened just recently," Ash said, earning a nod from Rachel.

"Well, that can be arranged since we are staying in one of the penthouses of a five-star hotel right now," Jordan said with a smile. "Come on, we will take you there." With that, Ash and the Moul family began to walk along one of the largest boardwalks that Ash had ever seen. They eventually came to the hotel which wasn't the tallest building, but it was clearly exquisite. The group went up to their penthouse, which was pretty impressive. It had a full kitchen, three bedrooms, a television room, an impressive balcony that overlooked a Pokémon battlefield, and even a Pokémon restoration machine. "Welcome to the room. We had to pull a few strings to get it, but we figured it would be better than staying at the Pokémon Center," Jordan said.

"Thank you Mr. and Mrs. Moul, but we won't be staying too long. We planned on battling the Gym Leader, then continuing to New Glancove City," Ash said as politely as possible.

"Don't worry about your travel plans right now," Sarah said. "You two just got here. You should get some rest here before you challenge Jorgen. Besides, it's gorgeous today, and the water is lovely, so the gym will probably be closed because the leader wants to enjoy the beach anyway."

Ash looked at Rachel and shrugged, as if to say "Well, I'm okay with this." Rachel just laughed lightly before turning to her parents.

"I don't think I brought any of my swimsuits with me when I left home," she said.

"Oh don't worry, we brought two of them for you so you could decide," Sarah said with a laugh.

That was when Jordan spoke up. "Now, about how training has been going?"

"Of course," Rachel said. She and Ash began to tell Jordan and Sarah about their run-in with Team Phoenix and about their time in Origin Hall (although they left out certain details). What Jordan seemed to find most interesting was that Ash could use aura, and he even asked Ash for a demonstration, which Ash agreed to by creating a stable aura sphere in the palm of his hand, then sending it flying around the room. The sphere avoided every obstacle before coming to a rest in Ash's hand and dissipating.

When the tale was finished, Jordan chuckled. "Well, it seems like you two have had some incredible adventures while you were away. Rachel, it seems you are a chip off the old block. You and Ash did well in destroying Team Phoenix again."

"Thanks Daddy," Rachel said with another of her dazzling smiles.

"Well, what do you know, all this talk has me in the mood for a battle," Jordan said. "I should challenge my brother."

Ash was intrigued. The Moul Brothers battling in front of him? This would be something amazing to see. "Mind if we watched?" he asked.

"Of course, I love having an audience for my battles," Jordan said. With that, he got his cell phone out and called Connor. "Hey Brother, my blood is boiling, care for another rematch?"…"Great, I will see you down on the battlefield in a few minutes."

_Time Skip: 5 minutes_

Ash, Rachel, Ross, and Sarah sat on a bench near the battlefield while Jordan and Connor stood on opposite ends of the field. Connor looked a lot like Jordan, albeit a little taller, and with darker hair. The hotel provided a referee for the match, which was going to be a full, six-on-six battle, which apparently hadn't been done since Jordan won the American League title over twenty five years ago. To make it even more impressive, people on the beach recognized who was battling, and a crowd had already begun to stream in.

One minute later, the referee raised both of his flags. "Begin the match!"

"Go, Garchomp!" Jordan called out.

"Go, Snorlax!" Connor called out.

"This should be a great battle to watch," Ross said.

"I couldn't agree more," Ash said.

**Hope you enjoyed that chapter. Next will be the full battle between Jordan and Connor. I promise that it will be epic. As always, reviews and suggestions are completely welcome, so please write them.**


	20. The Brotherly Battle

_The Brotherly Battle_

"Garchomp vs. Lucario," the referee said. "Begin!"

"Garchomp, Flamethrower!" Jordan called immediately, apparently keeping his command speed from when he was still a trainer. Garchomp let loose a stream of fire at Lucario, and the size of that stream rivaled the power of Ash's Charizard.

"Lucario, Protect, then use Aura Sphere!" Connor called out. A green sphere formed around the jackal Pokémon. When the flames dissipated, the aura Pokémon threw a ball of light blue aura at Garchomp.

Jordan smirked. "Connor, you have lost your touch over the years. Garchomp, dodge and use Earth Power!" Garchomp side-stepped the aura attack almost casually before stomping the ground, sending multiple pillars of earth to shoot up from under Lucario.

"Lucario, jump with that Earth Power, and use it to gain momentum with your Bone Rush!" Connor said. Just as the pillars were hitting their highest point, Lucario leapt into the air, almost reaching thirty feet in altitude before angling his body toward Garchomp, using an aura platform to launch himself off of. Lucario created a bone out of aura as it flew toward Garchomp.

Jordan seemed completely calm. "Garchomp, use Stone Edge and Flamethrower together." Garchomp stomped on the ground, throwing stones into a ring around his body. Garchomp then let out a stream of fire, causing the stones to light on fire. "Now let them fly!" Jordan commanded. The fiery stones flew at Lucario, but the jackal Pokémon was ready for them, knocking them aside with the aura bone. "Now, Hyper Beam!" Garchomp shot a single white beam at Lucario just after the bone was about to return from the last swing, but there was not enough time for Lucario to get the bone around to block. He was hit by the Hyper Beam and dropped to the ground.

Lucario was able to struggle back to his feet, while Garchomp ate a Power Herb to remove the need for him to rest after his Hyper Beam. "Lucario, Dragon Pulse!" Connor commanded. Lucario shot a purple and green beam from his mouth.

"Garchomp, show him a real Dragon Pulse!" Jordan commanded. Garchomp fired his own beam of green and purple energy at Lucario. The two beams met in the center, but due to Garchomp's attack being from an actual dragon, Lucario's attack was pushed back. The attacks were pushed back until they exploded directly in front of Lucario. Lucario was launched back, and when he landed, Lucario had fainted.

"Lucario is unable to battle. Garchomp is the winner!" called the referee.

"Lucario, return," Connor called. "Jordan, you are still just as good as always, but you know as well as I do that Garchomp has always struggled to defeat Lapras!" He threw out his next Pokéball. Ash knew the Pokémon that Connor sent out, and it reminded him of his own Lapras, but Connor's Lapras was obviously in a league all its own.

"Begin!" called the referee.

"Lapras, make it quick with Ice Beam!" Connor called immediately. Lapras shot a light blue beam of ice.

"Garchomp, dodge with Aerial Ace!" Jordan called out. Garchomp began to fly at supersonic speeds, his claws in front of him. Just before the Ice Beam hit, Garchomp spun acrobatically before spinning back as the attack passed. Garchomp struck Lapras at a breakneck speed. Lapras was not beaten though.

"Lapras, use Blizzard!" Connor called out. Lapras cried out as a cone of ice, snow, and freezing cold wind. Garchomp barely got out of the way, and when he emerged, he had ice on his left foot, anchoring him to the ground. Ash, however, had a feeling that this would likely be more of a nuisance for Garchomp than a battle decider.

"Garchomp, Brick Break on that ice, then use Dragon Claw!" Jordan commanded as calmly as ever. Garchomp slashed the ice, breaking it with ease. He then flew at Lapras, his claws coated in dragon fire. Garchomp got within a few inches from Lapras when the ocean Pokémon fired another blast of Blizzard. Garchomp was blown back and he was completely coated in ice until he crashed into the ground and the ice shattered.

"Garchomp is unable to battle. Lapras is the winner!" said the referee.

"Garchomp, return!" Jordan said. "Great job my friend, you fought hard against a difficult opponent. Now, I choose you, Raikou!" Ash was excited to see the elusive legendary Pokémon. Ash surely wouldn't want to go toe-to-toe with this particular Pokémon.

"Begin!" said the referee.

"Raikou, Volt Tackle!" Jordan commanded. Ash leaned forward, hoping to get a good look at a Volt Tackle from a legendary Pokémon. He knew how strong Pikachu had been with it. Raikou sprinted at Lapras, and it began to cover itself in electricity. Raikou slammed into Lapras head-on, electrocuting the Pokémon severely. Raikou leapt back toward Jordan, where he cringed from the recoil damage. Lapras was hurt, but not beaten.

"Lapras, Hydro Pump!" Connor called out. Lapras launched a stream of water with the force of a fire hose at Raikou.

"Raikou, dodge and use Thunderbolt!" Jordan called out. Raikou leapt to the side as he fired a bolt of electricity at Lapras, once again electrocuting Lapras. That was when Lapras collapsed.

"Lapras is unable to continue. Raikou is the winner!" called the referee.

"Lapras, return!" Connor called out. "You fought hard my friend, now rest up. Go, Hydreigon!" This time, Rachel leaned forward. She wanted to see how to battle using a Hydreigon, and her uncle had one of the strongest Hydreigons that she knew of.

"Begin!" called the referee.

"Raikou, Thunder Wave!" Jordan called out. A stream of electricity shot from Raikou's body. The electricity hit Hydreigon, stunning it. "Now, Extremespeed!" Raikou seemed to vanish for a split second before reappearing and slamming into Hydreigon's chest.

Connor just smirked. "Hydreigon. Crunch with all three heads!" Hydreigon's three heads clamped down on Raikou in three different locations.

Jordan, however had seen this coming. "Raikou, Discharge!" he called out. Raikou seemed to let out multiple streams of electricity, but they all converged toward Hydreigon's head. The dragon shrieked in pain and released the tiger Pokémon. "Now, Iron Head!" Jordan called out. Raikou's forehead began to glow white like Pikachu's Iron Tail. Raikou then slammed his head into the dragon Pokémon. Hydreigon still hung on, however, and it looked pissed.

"Hydreigon, use Hyper Voice!" Connor called. Hydreigon inhaled deeply before shrieking at such a high volume that everybody in the crowd, and even a few people who were still on the beach, covered their ears. Raikou was thrown back from the force of the voice, and it went through a bouncing slide. Just before he fell from the field, the tiger managed to regain his footing and stand strong through the force of the auditory assault. "Transition into Dragon Pulse!" Hydreigon then stopped shrieking only to immediately fire three intertwining beams of green and purple energy at Raikou. The tiger had just recovered from Hyper Voice when Dragon Pulse landed. The legendary tiger fainted there.

"Raikou is unable to continue, Hydreigon is the winner!" called the referee

"Raikou return!" Jordan said. "Great job Raikou. You fought incredibly well, now I promise you that I will not lose this battle. Go, Tyranitar!" The monstrous Pokémon roared as he came out of his Pokéball.

"Begin!" called the referee.

"Let's make this round quick Tyranitar. Use Ice Beam!" Jordan commanded. Tyranitar fired the light blue beam of energy at the dragon. The attack hit, but the opponent still had some strength left.

"Alright Hydreigon, use Hyper Beam!" Connor called out.

"Tyranitar, Protect!" Jordan called out. The defense came just in time as the beam of energy struck the shield. When the energy dissipated, Tyranitar was unscathed, but Hydreigon looked exhausted. "Now use Stone Edge!" Tyranitar gathered rings of stones around his body before hurling them at the three-headed dragon. There was no hope for a dodge. Hydreigon took the brunt of the attacks, and it could finally take no more damage. It collapsed to the ground.

"Hydreigon is unable to battle. Tyranitar is the winner!" called the referee.

"Return Hydreigon!" Connor said. "Great battling, you've earned a long rest. Now, I choose you, Snorlax!"

"Begin!" said the referee.

"Snorlax, use Earthquake, and then Brick Break!" Connor called out. Snorlax moved incredibly fast for his species. He did a body slam onto the ground, creating a shockwave in the ground, throwing Tyranitar off balance. Then the gigantic Pokémon ran toward Tyranitar, punching the rock lizard in the face.

Tyranitar just gave Snorlax a look that said "You done fucked up now!"

"Tyranitar, Hyper Beam!" Jordan called. Tyranitar fired a single beam into Snorlax's face at point-blank range. The normal Pokémon roared in pain as it rolled back from the attack. The beam faded, but Snorlax stayed down.

"Snorlax, Rest!" Connor called out. Snorlax then fell asleep and became healthy again. Jordan had known this was coming, so he attacked accordingly.

"Tyranitar, Dark Pulse!" Jordan called out. Tyranitar fired a beam of black rings surrounded by a purple aura. The attack hit Snorlax hard, flipping the Pokémon over and doing severe damage. "Now, Brick Break!" Tyranitar sprinted in, fists glowing.

"Snorlax, Sleep Talk!" Connor called out. Snorlax began to move, shooting a Hyper Beam at Tyranitar, despite being asleep. Tyranitar, however, continued to push through the attack, especially considering that it was a Rock-type Pokémon being hit by a normal attack. Tyranitar punched Snorlax across the face, ending the Hyper Beam. Snorlax fell to the ground, but Tyranitar wasn't looking too good either. Within a second, Tyranitar fell to the ground.

"Both Snorlax and Tyranitar are unable to continue. This round is a draw!"

Both Jordan and Connor had their Pokémon return, thanked them, and sent out their next Pokémon. Jordan sent out Typhlosion. Connor sent out an Alakazam.

"Begin!" called the referee.

"Typhlosion, kick things off with Sunny Day!" Jordan said with a smile. Typhlosion sent a white beam of light into the sky, causing the sun's rays to intensify.

"Alakazam, use Calm Mind!" Connor called out. Alakazam began to meditate, his body glowing green for three seconds. Alakazam's eyes snapped open and they glowed intensely.

"Typhlosion, Eruption!" Jordan called out. Typhlosion roared as lava launched from his flaming mane. Alakazam had no hope of dodging, and with Sunny Day augmenting Eruption there was little hope for Alakazam to survive the attack, but the psychic fox managed to survived.

"Alakazam, Recover!" Connor commanded. Alakazam began to glow gold, removing all signs that he had been damaged at all.

"Typhlosion, Eruption Wheel!" Jordan called out. This was a combination attack Jordan had been training Typhlosion to perfect. Typhlosion started to form a Flame Wheel, but as he got closer to Alakazam, lava began to splash around the field. Alakazam once again had nowhere to run as the lava surrounded it. Typhlosion slammed into Alakazam, burning it severely and knocking it out.

"Alakazam is unable to battle. Typhlosion is the winner!" called the referee.

"Return Alakazam!" Connor called.

"Typhlosion return!" Jordan called, baffling Ash. Typhlosion had been doing so well, why return it? Ash looked over at Rachel, Ross, and Sarah. They all had knowing looks.

"This is the main event," Rachel explained. "Connor and Jordan always save their starters for last. They are both able to Mega-Evolve, and they are easily the strongest of their species. You will see how it turns out."

"Go, Charizard!" Connor called out. The Charizard that came out was easily the strongest Ash had ever seen, but Ash was interested to see how his own Charizard would stack up against this one. It also had a metal necklace with Charizardite X in it. Connor then took out a Mega Evolution bracelet holding his Keystone in it.

"Go, Swampert!" Jordan called out. Now, Ash had only seen a couple Swamperts in his travels, but this one was clearly in a league all its own. It also had a bracer on its left arm and it was holding a Swampertite. That was when Jordan pulled a necklace similar to Gary Oak's charm from under his shirt, but this necklace held a Mega Evolution Keystone.

"NOW, MEGA-EVOLVE!" both Connor and Jordan said simultaneously as they touched their Keystones. Lights sprung from the keystones and the Mega Stones of each Pokémon. Charizard became the black and blue fire dragon, while Swampert became an enormous mud fish.

"Swampert, use Stone Edge!" Jordan called. Swampert formed three rings of stones around his body. The stones all flew at Charizard simultaneously

"Charizard, dodge and use Dragon Claw," Connor responded. Charizard did multiple barrel rolls to dodge the stones perfectly. Its claws then began to shine with a greenish energy shaped like claws. Charizard flew toward Swampert, claws raised.

"Swampert, Counter!" Jordan called out. Just before Charizard was about to use Dragon Claw, Swampert grabbed Charizard by the tail, whipping it around before slamming the Fire Pokémon into the ground. Charizard was far from beaten.

"Charizard, Fire Blast!" Connor called out. Charizard fired a blue humanoid flame at Swampert.

"Mirror Coat!" Jordan called out. Swampert's entire body became covered in a chrome coating. The Fire Blast was absorbed into the coat. The metallic coat peeled off before firing directly back at Charizard. The fire dragon got hit hard, sending it staggering back. "Finish this with Hydro Cannon!" Swampert reared back before firing such a huge torrent of water at Charizard that it covered the entire field. The attack engulfed Charizard and sent it flying.

Charizard landed hard, and it reverted to its usual form. "Charizard is unable to battle. Swampert is the winner, which means the victory goes to Jordan!" called the referee. The audience went crazy, having just seen one of the most legendary rivalries played out once again after so many years.

Ash was amazed. Jordan had just decisively beat Connor and he had made it look effortless. Now, however, he was having serious doubts about if he could win against such a powerful opponent when the time came. Rachel just looked proud of her father for his skill as a trainer.

_Time Skip: Two Hours_

Ash was sitting back on a beach chair, similar to those on Route 119 in Hoenn. Jordan was nearby while Sarah, Rachel, and Pikachu went down to the water. "So Ash, you like my daughter don't you?" Jordan said.

Ash sat up, knowing that this was a serious conversation that was about to start. "Yes, I honestly think I am in love with her," he said.

Jordan laughed a little. "It's funny, even though you only met about two months ago, I have never seen her happier than when she is with you."

Ash smiled. "Well, I can honestly say that I am happiest when I am with her."

"That is good," Jordan said. He then leaned toward Ash with a very stern look on his face. "Just know that if you EVER hurt my daughter, you will have me and my Swampert to answer to. Do you understand me?"

Ash was a little scared at the warning, knowing that none of his Pokémon, not even his Grass-Types, had much of a chance against Jordan's Swampert. "I understand perfectly sir."

"Good. Just remember that you and I can be the best of friends or I can be your worst enemy. It all depends on how you treat my daughter."

"Got it. And I promise that I will always treat Rachel with the utmost respect and love," Ash said.

"Well, now that that is settled, I should let you know that the entire Moul family is going to be coming with you and Rachel to watch your battle with Jorgen. I hope you don't mind."

"That will be fine Jordan," Ash said.

"Good, because we were going to do it whether or not you agreed," Jordan said.

Ash just chuckled before returning to his original position. That was when a soaking wet Pikachu came running up the beach and leapt onto Ash's lap and shook itself dry before curling up and going to sleep. Ash was a little frustrated with Pikachu's antics, but he let it go. Jordan just laughed.

**I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Let me know how I can improve in your reviews. Thank you for reading this far.**


	21. The Frightful Fairies

**Welcome to the next chapter of Ash Goes American. Ash and Rachel are finally back on the gym battle track and are about to battle Jorgen for their sixth badge. Enjoy this one. By the way, I am so sorry for such a long wait. I am in the middle of some serious stressful events.**

_The Frightful Fairies_

After watching the Moul brothers battling, Ash and Rachel were in front of the San Danga Gym with the entire Moul family with them. The building was shaped almost like the tree that Xerneas hibernated as, but much larger and hollowed out to function as a stadium. "Velcome challengers, I am Colonel Jorgen," came an Austrian accented voice. "This is my gym."

Ash and Rachel turned around to come face-to-face with a middle-aged man in army uniform pants and a camo sleeveless shirt. Ash couldn't help but feel inadequate when he saw how absolutely muscular this giant wall of a man was. He made Lt. Surge look normal-sized.

"Well, Colonel, it has been quite a long time now, hasn't it?" Jordan said as he turned around to face the gym leader.

The Colonel looked surprised to see Jordan, when he looked around, seeing Ross and Connor as well, he looked even more pleasantly surprised. "My old friends and challengers! It is so good to see all of you again!" Jorgen laughed as he actually picked up Jordan, Connor, and Ross simultaneously without straining even slightly. When he put them back down, they were all smiling.

"Good to see you too Jorgen, how have you been?" Connor said. "But we are here with another Moul family member and one of her friends. They wish to challenge you."

Jorgen looked around before he came to Ash and Rachel. He walked up to them, and gave them a stern gaze, as if examining them. That was when he burst into laughter. "Ah it's good to see that Rachel Moul is ready to face my gym. Now, as for this young man, I wish to know your name."

"I am Ash Ketchum, from Pallet Town," Ash said as Pikachu leapt onto his shoulder.

"Hmmm," Jorgen pondered. "Ash from Pallet Town, and you have a Pikachu. Did you ever battle Lt. Surge in Vermillion City?"

"Yes I did, he was pretty tough," Ash said.

"Ha! If you found my old lieutenant to be a challenge, then you will not last long against me!" Jorgen laughed.

"You were Surge's commanding officer?" Ash asked.

"Yes, of course, he was a little American man when I first met him, but he got more confident under my watch. It wasn't until that Pikachu of his saved his life in battle that he became a strong enough soldier to become a lieutenant. He evolved Pikachu quickly to help it survive the war after it wouldn't leave him. It was really quite touching," Jorgen explained.

"I remember that he loved his Raichu, but it was pretty interesting that it didn't know any speed attacks," Ash said.

"Well, that's one reason why he never got past lieutenant," Jorgen laughed. "Anyway, I am interested to see how you battle, Ash. Not many people are able to beat Surge's Raichu. So I will battle you first."

"I agree to that, what about you Rachel?" Ash said.

Rachel nodded. "Daddy wants to watch you battle first anyway," she said.

Ash nodded. "Well, let's go inside and battle."

"I agree, the sooner the battle begins the better," Jorgen said. With that, the Moul family filled in a row of seats in the stadium as Ash and Rachel made their way to the challenger's box. Jorgen stood in the leader's box. Ash took the position in the challenger's box with his Metagross's Pokéball in his hand. He had come prepared for this. "LET THE BATTLE BEGIN! Go, Klefki!" Jorgen said.

"Go, Metagross!" Ash called. He intended to sweep this match.

"Klefki, use Flash Cannon!" Jorgen called out. Klefki fired a stream of metallic energy at Metagross.

"Metagross, use Psychic to redirect that Flash Cannon!" Ash called out. Metagross's face X began to glow light blue as the Flash Cannon came to a stop and turned around, moving at twice its original speed. Klefki had no chance to dodge as its whole body was engulfed by its own attack. Jorgen was shocked at how fast Metagross had reacted. He knew Metagross were typically slow, and the only other one he'd seen that was this fast was in Pokéball in the crowd. Not only that, but Metagross's responding attack had knocked out Klefki in a single shot!

"Ash, where did you do your training?" Jorgen asked.

"I'd tell you, but you would think I was crazy," Ash said.

"Try me boy," Jorgen said.

"The Hall of Origin," Ash said.

Jorgen was silent for a while, and then he spoke up. "I see. So, I can't hold back anything. Very well, return Klefki. Go, Diancie!" Out came a crystal-like Pokémon that had an almost humanoid form attached to the point on the bottom. It was among the rarest of rare Pokémon, but it would not stand up against Metagross, no matter how rare it was.

"Metagross, make this quick with Flash Cannon!" Ash commanded.

"Diancie, Protect!" Jorgen said. A green shield came up just in time to block the incoming assault. "Now, use Gyro Ball!" Diancie began to spin rapidly as it flew towards Metagross.

"Metagross, Meteor Mash!" Ash commanded. Just as Diancie was about to land its hit, it changed direction abruptly, looking like it had just been hit hard, but Metagross looked like he had barely moved.

Diancie was knocked out immediately, and Jorgen, however, looked perfectly calm. "Return Diancie! Now, my friend, I choose you!" he called out as he sent out a blue Sylveon. It looked a lot stronger than the previous Pokémon. "Sylveon, use Moonblast!" The fairy Pokémon began to glow brightly before it fired a ball of pink energy at Metagross.

"Metagross, dodge, and use Flash Cannon!" Ash commanded. Metagross didn't even bother to dodge. He just launched a massive Flash Cannon, engulfing the Moonblast and it almost hit Sylveon, but the Pokémon managed to dodge the attack in time, leaping far enough out of the way to go relatively unscathed.

"Metagross, use Psychic and hold that Sylveon in place, and then use another Flash Cannon!" Ash called out. Metagross did as ordered. Sylveon cried out when it was gripped by Psychic and held down. Metagross then let out another Flash Cannon twice as strong as the last one. Sylveon cried out as it fell to the ground, beaten.

Jorgen looked amazed. "How? How did you win so easily?" he said.

"To be honest, Jorgen, I am wondering that myself. I guess type advantages and rigorous training do help a great deal," Ash said as he rubbed the back of his neck.

Jorgen nodded. He knew Ash had indeed been honest about training in the Hall of Origin, and if that was the case, then how strong would Rachel be? She too had trained in the Hall of Origin with Ash for that week, and that was nothing to be trifled with. "Well, Ash, it seems you have beaten me fair and square. You are truly worthy of becoming a Pokémon Master with your skills. Ash looked amazed.

"Thank you Jorgen, and if I am ever in Vermillion City again, I will tell Surge that about our battle," Ash said.

"Be sure you don't tell him how badly I fought against you," Jorgen said.

"Alright Jorgen, I will leave that part out of my account," Ash said. "By the way, why did you pick Fairy types?"

"Ah, that. Well, my first Pokémon was that Sylveon, but it was an Eevee at the time. We were so close that it evolved into a Sylveon. This mirrors the environment of war. No matter how strong you are, you need friends in order to survive, and Sylveon helped me through far more trouble than I can count. I decided to honor my Sylveon and befriend more Fairy-Types."

Ash nodded. "I know how that is," he said. "Pikachu here was my first Pokémon and he saved my life on the first day we met."

"Now that is a story I would love to hear," Jorgen said. "That, however, will have to wait for until after your girlfriend battles." Ash smiled, it was indeed Rachel's time to shine.

"Well, I will be in the stands for this one," Ash said.

**There we go, Ash's first real sweep in a gym battle. Next comes Rachel's battle. How will she do? Well, you'll just have to wait for the next chapter for come out. As always, please leave reviews and suggestions for the story.**


	22. The Frightful Fairies: Part 2

**I am so sorry for such a long wait. I have been insanely busy with my job and other obligations. I promise to write as much as possible, but I may not be able to update the story as often. It will help a great deal if you guys review my new chapters so I can adapt the direction of the story.**

_The Frightful Fairies Pt. 2_

Ash was in the stands now, and he was excited to watch the battle between his girlfriend and the fairies. Jordan was looking excited as well, and Ash could easily tell that it was a father's excitement at watching his own daughter battle. Rachel looked really excited too, but Ash could tell she was nervous underneath her confident expression.

"Rachel, I know you can do this!" Ash called out. Rachel turned to her boyfriend with a smile. She seemed to ease up a little, but she was still nervous. She grabbed her first Pokéball and got ready for the battle.

"I will begin with Mawile!" Jorgen called out as he sent out his next Pokémon.

"Go, Delphox!" Rachel called out as she sent out her first Pokémon.

"Mawile, use Crunch!" Jorgen called out. Mawile leapt at Delphox, its larger jaws opened wide.

"Delphox, put a Flamethrower into Mawile's mouth," Rachel called out. Delphox pulled a stick from her fur before she launched a stream of fire into Mawile's mouth. The fireball poured into the Pokémon, making Mawile's body glow red hot from the inside. Ash was surprised by what Rachel did. It was surprisingly brutal, but effective. Mawile coughed and some fire escaped, causing its body to return to its usual color. Unfortunately, it wasn't beaten just yet.

"Mawile, use Moonblast!" Jorgen called out.

"Delphox, dodge it and use another Flamethrower!" Rachel responded with more speed than Ash had thought possible. The girl clearly had a fire in her belly for that battle. In this battle, it was clear that she would not lose this battle. On top of that, the American girl was motivated even more to impress her father with how far she had come as a trainer.

Delphox managed to leap away from the incoming Moonblast, and fired a larger stream of flames at the deceiver Pokémon, engulfing it. The Pokémon screamed and when the flames disappeared, it had fainted.

"Return Mawile!" Jorgen called out as he had the deceiver Pokémon return to its Pokéball. "Now, go Granbull!" he called out as he sent out a bulldog Pokémon with enormous tusks.

"Delphox, Psychic!" Rachel called out. Delphox's eyes began to glow light blue as it gripped the bulldog with its psychic power. While Granbull was being gripped by Delphox's immense power, it seemed unscathed or even burdened by the attack.

"Granbull, use Crunch!" Jorgen called out. Granbull barked hard and leapt at Delphox, with his jaws agape. Granbull bit down on Delphox's mid-section, making the psychic fox cry out in pain. Granbull refused to let go.

"Delphox, use Flamethrower!" Rachel called out. Delphox wasted no time at all. She fired a blast of fire at Granbull's butt, burning the bulldog, and literally lighting a fire under its ass. The dog let go, but only after leaving a serious bite mark on the psychic fox. "Delphox, I know you can keep going strong, use Fire Blast!" Rachel called out. Delphox fired a humanoid figure of fire that slammed into Granbull, charring the dog's face. Granbull shakes off the attack, but it seemed to have taken some severe damage.

"Granbull use Hyper Beam and end this!" Jorgen calls out. Granbull powered up a powerful attack and launches it with ease, and just as it is about to hit Delphox, Rachel gives a command.

"Protect!" she calls out. Delphox throws up a green barrier, which sends the Hyper Beam in every direction except towards Delphox. "Now use Flamethrower again!" Delphox launched another stream of fire at Granbull, engulfing the dog and eliciting a shriek of pain. The flames dissipated and Granbull was revealed. It was already on its back.

"Return Granbull!" called out Jorgen. That was the last straw for the Gym Leader. He was not about to be swept twice in a row on the exact same day. "Go! Sylveon!" Jorgen called. This was the same Sylveon as before, but it seemed angrier and more confident now. "Sylveon, use your Return attack!" Jorgen called. The Eeveelution charged at Delphox with incredible speed. Ash watched as ten hearts appeared in front of Sylveon, indicating that this attack would be unnaturally strong. Sylveon slammed into Delphox, throwing the fox to Rachel's feet, where it landed in a heap.

"Return Delphox!" Rachel says. Then she pulls out the Pokéball of her trump card. "Go Excadrill!" The drill Pokémon gives a battle cry and prepares to fight. "Excadrill, use Drill Run!" Excadrill leapt into the air, clamped its claws together, making itself look like a gigantic drill-bit. It then began to spin rapidly, and it flew at Sylveon.

"Sylveon, use Echoed Voice!" Jorgen called out. Sylveon then made a loud cry, creating a sonic wave. That wave alone slowed Excadrill down significantly, but it didn't stop him. Excadrill hit Sylveon, but not hard enough to do any real damage. Rachel, however, just smiled.

"Just as I planned," she said with a slightly diabolical grin. "Now, use Iron Head!" Excadrill's head began to glow a brilliant white color before it hit Sylveon hard with a head-butt. That sent Sylveon flying through the air, but it was not enough just yet. Sylveon landed on his feet, looking determined to not lose another match.

"Excadrill, use Drill Run again!" Rachel commanded. Excadrill responded quickly, taking the form of the drill before spiraling toward Sylveon. Ash did notice something strange about Jorgen though. The soldier was not fazed by the incoming attack.

"Echoed Voice," Jorgen called out. Sylveon cried out again, this time the power of Sylveon's cry was increased. The produced sonic wave not only stopped Excadrill, but threw it back completely.

Rachel was concerned now. "Excadrill, use Dig!" she called out. Excadrill formed himself like a drill before he dove into the ground, spinning at high speeds. Ash had seen Rachel battle countless times, but this wasn't her typical battle style. "Now, use Drill Run from underground!" The ground suddenly began to shake before Excadrill flew out of the ground, slamming into Sylveon. The attack sent the fairy into the air, and when the Pokémon landed, it stayed down for a while. After almost a minute, Sylveon did manage to struggle to his feet.

"Sylveon, I know you have another Echoed Voice in you. Now show it to me!" Jorgen called out. Sylveon cried out once more, sending a huge sonic wave at Excadrill, this one even stronger than the last one. There was no hope for the attack to be stopped or dodged. Excadrill was launched through the air, until it slammed into the ground hard, kicking up dust. When the dust cloud settled, it was clear that Excadrill would not be battling anymore.

"Return, Excadrill!" Rachel called as she had her Pokémon come back to its Pokéball. "Now, I am counting on you, Milotic!" With that command, Rachel's last Pokémon, her beautiful water-type, came out.

"Sylveon, use another Echoed Voice!" Jorgen called out.

"Milotic, dodge and use an Ice Beam!" Rachel said. Milotic leapt through the rings of the sonic blast, spiraling towards Sylveon, firing off an Ice Beam, this time, the beam arched through the rings and landing on Sylveon hard, encasing it in a block of ice. "Now, finish this with an Iron Tail!" Rachel called out. Milotic's tail began to glow and shine like polished steel. She then swung her tail hard, slamming it into Sylveon, breaking the ice and sending the fairy Pokémon flying. Sylveon went crashing into the floor, where it collapsed, not able, or willing, to continue battling.

Jorgen was in shock. "That is the fourth Moul I have lost to without exception. Your family has talent. Now, take these two Wand Badges, one for you, one for Ash. You have both fought hard and clearly earned these badges. Congratulations."


	23. The Pass

**Hey all, I am back with another exciting installment of **_**Ash Goes American**_**. I hope you all have been enjoying this story as much as I have enjoyed writing it. Without further ado, here is the next chapter.**

_The Pass_

Ash and Rachel stood on the pier, watching the disappearing ferry carrying the entire Moul family except for Rachel. It was heading back to Forestra City, and the mainland of the American Region. Ash and Rachel, however, needed to leave in the opposite direction, crossing the 30-mile-wide peninsula to get to New Glancove, home of the next gym, which was the dragon type. Pikachu was getting rather impatient though.

"Pikapi!" he said to get Ash's attention. When that didn't work, he began to tug on Ash's pant legs. When that didn't work, the electric mouse got frustrated. If Ash had been paying the slightest attention to Pikachu, rather than focusing on his next battle, he would have noticed his old friend sparkling. That set Pikachu off. "PIIKAAACHUUUU!" cried the electric mouse as it electrocuted him out of his stupor.

"Waaaaahhhh!" Ash cried. "What did you do that for Pikachu?"

"Pika Pikachu!" Pikachu said.

"I see, so you want to get moving as soon as possible?" Ash asked. Pikachu nodded, glad to have finally gotten out his message. "Well, I have no objections, what about you Rachel?"

"Not at all. Let's get moving," Rachel said.

The two trainers picked up their bags and began to move out of the city. They knew what was awaiting them ahead, though, and they were nervous. It was a strange ravine known simple as The Pass. It was the most treacherous pass in the entire American Region. Only the most confident hikers and the most determined trainers went through it. While Ash and Rachel were definitely not hikers, they were both incredibly determined.

Three hours later, the duo was at the entrance to The Pass. All they saw was a path of broken rocks and tree branches. "Well, no sense in wasting time here. Let's go across," Ash said.

"So, Ash, what do you want to talk about while we walk?" Rachel asked.

"I would like to know about the American League Elite Four," Ash said. "Who are they, and what are their specialties?"

"Well, the first one is Nikola, who uses electric Pokémon, and he is also an incredible physicist. Then there is Wade, who was an Olympic Swimmer and he specializes in water Pokémon. Next comes Maylay, the fighting Pokémon expert, and it's rumored that she is able to use aura. Next is Dusty, an archeologist and ground Pokémon master. Finally, there is Ross, my cousin. He has no specialty, he just uses the team that he won the league with, and I can tell you that he is a powerful battler just from watching him battle a lot on television. Sometimes, he only needs one Pokémon to sweep through an entire team," Rachel said.

"Wow, no wonder he became Champion," Ash reflected. "But, I am still going to beat him and claim his title." Rachel's eyes were wide. Was he serious? Ash was a great battler, but Ross had beaten Ash in their previous battle. Granted that had been before the training in the Hall of Origin.

Rachel didn't get a chance to finish that thought, because a Pokémon's cry across The Pass, originating from the sky. Ash immediately turned his eyes to the source, and saw a red and white Pokémon that seemed familiar to him. "Latias?" he said, which earned him a tackling hug. "How are you Latias? I haven't seen you since Altomar. How have you been?" Latias cooed in response, nuzzling Ash. "What are you doing in the American Region?" Ash asked, earning another coo from the dragon.

"Umm, Ash, care to tell me how you know a Latias?" Rachel asked as she got over the shock of meeting this legendary dragon, barring the fact that she already knew Ash.

"We met in Johto, I helped her and her brother Latios save the city from a Team Rocket plot. She always seemed to like me since we met each other, and she is incredibly powerful," Ash said. "Now, I still don't know why she came all the way out here."

That was when Latias's eyes began to glow blue, as she grabbed an empty Pokéball from Ash's belt, and she slapped the button, being brought into the ball without struggling, and she was captured. Ash grabbed the Pokéball before it hit the ground, in awe.

"Did that really just happen?" Rachel asked.

"I think so," Ash said. It was rather random, even for his experiences, but he wasn't going to question such a great occurrence. "Come on out Latias!" he called as he threw the Pokéball out and released the psychic dragon. That was when Ash felt a strange connection in his mind.

_Ash, I missed you so much!"_ said the distinctly female voice.

"Latias?" Ash said in confusion. "Is this telepathy?"

_It is, but that isn't important, I am here so I can finally do what I always wanted to. I can finally join you on your journey._

"Don't you have to protect Altomar?" Ash asked.

_My brothers and my daughter are there now. Also, Bianca sends her regards, and she wishes she could come to see you as well._ That was when Latias took notice of Rachel. _Ash, why haven't you introduced me to this woman?_

"I'm sorry Latias. This is Rachel, she has been traveling with me throughout the American Region," Ash said as he pet Latias's neck. Rachel just looked confused.

"Did I miss some dialogue there?" Rachel said, with a slight laugh. Latias just floated over to Rachel and nuzzled her affectionately, earning a giggle from Rachel. "I guess it doesn't matter," she said. "Welcome to the group Latias. I know you and I will be the best of friends."

"Also, you will be a big help in the American League," Ash said with a huge grin. "I can't wait to see how you battle." That was when he had Latias return to her Pokéball, and he continued to walk with Rachel through The Pass.

Now, believe it or not, that was not to be the only exciting occurrence that day. About an hour later, and just as they were about to get out of The Pass and arrive in New Glancove, Rachel heard what she thought sounded like mewling. "Ash, wait up, I want to check out that noise."

"What n-"

"SHHH!" Rachel hissed. For a few minutes, there was silence. Then, sure enough, there was a faint mewling cry, which sounded slightly familiar to Ash. Pikachu's ears perked up and he leapt off of Ash's shoulder, sprinting toward the source.

"Pika-pi!" Pikachu cried pointing at a crevice. Ash and Rachel were there in an instant, looking down to see what was making the sound. There, stuck in between the rocks, was an intriguing Eevee, with a silver coat. It looked hot, thirsty, and tired, but upon seeing Ash and Rachel, it seemed to perk up, but seemed to be too tired to move too much.

"We have to get that Eevee out of there," Rachel said. "Delphox, help me out!" she cried as she sent out her first Pokémon. "Delphox, use Psychic to lift that Eevee towards me!" Delphox's eyes glowed blue with power, as she lifted the malnourished Eevee into Rachel's arms. "Thank you Delphox, now return!"

Once Delphox was inside her Pokéball, Rachel and Ash both sprinted out of the Pass, Pikachu riding on Ash's shoulders, and they sprinted toward the Pokémon Center. "Hang in there Eevee, we will get you some help, just hang in there!" Rachel said, holding the Eevee close to comfort it. Luckily there was a Pokémon Center near the outskirts of the city, so the trio didn't have to run long.

"We need help!" Ash yelled out as they burst into the Pokémon Center, startling Nurse Joy, who had been reading while she waited, especially since it was a slow day. As soon as she saw the Eevee, though, she was on her feet, her Chansey assistant bringing a gurney with her.

"What on Earth happened to this Eevee?" Nurse Joy asked.

"We think it got trapped in a crevice in The Pass and it couldn't get out," Ash said.

"We only found it because it was crying out," Rachel said.

"Alright, I will do everything I can to help it out," Joy said, as she and Chansey wheeled Eevee into the examination room.

"Hey, there is nothing we can do for now Rachel," Ash said. "Why don't we head to the cafeteria and get some dinner while we wait?"

Rachel was quiet for a little while. "Yeah, I guess," she said with little enthusiasm. They went to get dinner, and ate in relative silence. Rachel hardly touched her food, and Ash could tell that she was deeply concerned for Eevee.

"Hey, you know that Eevee will be alright, don't you?" Ash said. Rachel looked up and smiled slightly, but didn't respond. Ash sighed, left his seat and sat beside Rachel, holding her close. "Hey, it will all be okay. I'm sure Eevee will make a full recovery, and who knows, it may decide to join you on your journey. Arceus knows how many times I have watched that happen in my travels, and how many times it has happened to me."

Just as he said that, Nurse Joy entered the cafeteria. "Excuse me, I am sorry to interrup-" she started, but was cut off when Rachel ran up to her.

"How is Eevee?" she asked.

"She is awake, and quite a handful," Nurse Joy said with a smile. "She has eaten and got water, but now it seems that she is trying to find something or someone. Would you mind coming with me?"

"Of course," Ash and Rachel both said, although Rachel was much more enthusiastic. She practically ran to the examination room, and when the door was opened, Eevee practically leapt into her arms, licking her face repeatedly and nuzzling against her.

"It's good to see that you're feeling better Eevee," Rachel said as she giggled. Eevee then looked deeply into Rachel's eyes and mewled. Rachel just pet the silver-coated Eevee as she looked at Nurse Joy. "Did you find out if this Eevee belongs to anybody?"

"I did research, and it turns out that she is wild," Joy said.

"Well, since she's wild, I am going to catch her!" Rachel said happily. Eevee leapt from her arms and stood at her feet, looking at her with what looked like the Baby Doll-Eyes attack. Rachel grabbed a Pokéball and tapped Eevee with the activation index, Eevee went into the Pokéball without fighting. Rachel was over-joyed, she let out her new Eevee and nuzzled her Pokémon. "I hope we can be the best of friends Eevee," she said, earning a mew and nuzzle from Eevee.


	24. Dovah's Challenge

**Hello all, I hope you all enjoyed the previous chapter. Let me know what I can improve on in the future, because once this story is over, I intend to change gears and write something big, and not just for this website, but hopefully for the entire world to enjoy. Thank you for your support.**

_Dovah's Challenge_

The next week was spent training Eevee and helping it learn how to battle. It wasn't long before Eevee had some powerful attacks under its belt. Despite the rigorous training, Eevee and Rachel never stopped being friends, with Eevee mimicking Pikachu by staying out of her Pokéball. In that week, Eevee got to be one of the strongest Pokémon on Rachel's team, even holding its own against Ash's Charizard, although it had yet to beat Pikachu and Latias.

It is in the middle of a training session between Ash's Sceptile and Rachel's Eevee that we join the duo. Eevee was fighting harder than ever before, hitting Sceptile with multiple Double-Edge attacks and not taking the slightest recoil damage.

"Eevee, use Charm!" Rachel called out. Eevee winked at Sceptile, causing him to lose some focus, and almost not want to attack. "Now, use Bite!" Eevee ran toward Sceptile and tried to bite down on his arm, but Ash and Sceptile would have none of that.

"Sceptile, Leaf Blade!" Ash called out. Sceptile's leaves began to glow and get longer. Just as Eevee was about to strike, Sceptile swung hard and sent her flying. Eevee looked like she was about to collapse, but she would not give up.

"Eevee, I know you can pull this off!" Rachel called out. Eevee heard her trainer's call and steeled herself. She began glowing blue and white. Rachel was astounded, and Ash was impressed by this sudden turn of events. Eevee grew taller, and had a bow-tie with ribbons appear around her neck, while her ears got longer. When the changes ceased, Eevee had become Sylveon. Rachel shook herself out of her surprise and grinned with more confidence. "Alright Sylveon, let's try out your Moonblast!" Sylveon's blue body began to glow as she gathered power before she launched a large ball of glowing pink energy at Sceptile, and this was faster than any Moonblast Ash had seen before.

"Sceptile, dodge and use Bullet Seed!" Ash called out. Sceptile leapt as fast as he could, but Moonblast was faster, sending Sceptile for a short flight. This was the end of the training battle, but this would not be like the other matches. This time, the sound of one person clapping echoed across the field. When Ash and Rachel looked to the source, Ash was surprised to see a man who looked like Lance, except with black hair, and a red cape.

"That was an impressive display of a powerful bond between trainer and Pokémon from both of you. You seem to be improving since you both arrived here," the man said.

Ash had Sceptile return to his Pokéball and turned to face the newcomer. "And who are you?" he asked.

"My name is Dovah, and I am the leader of the New Glancove Gym. I received word from Jordan that you two would be in the city, and I was waiting for you to come to the gym. I didn't expect it to take too long, so I came to the Pokémon Center, only to see that you were training a new member of the team," he said.

Ash was shocked. Why had the Gym Leader been watching them train for so long, and all the while, he said nothing? Ash just shook the question from his mind. Dovah probably didn't want to interfere with the normal training style that he [Ash] had with Rachel.

"Well, it is nice to meet you Dovah, and although you seem to already know who we are, I am Rachel and this is Ash," Rachel said with a smile.

Ash extended his hand toward Dovah. "It's nice to meet you, and if you don't mind me saying, you look a lot like Lance from Kanto and Johto," he said.

Dovah shook Ash's hand with an vice-like grip, smiling at the comparison to the dragon master of the Kanto and Johto region. "I would hope we look alike, considering I am his younger brother," he said.

This surprised Ash for two reasons. First, nobody who knew Lance knew he had a brother. Second, Lance had never even mentioned Dovah in the times that Ash had encountered the dragon champion.

"Surprised to hear that, right? Most people who know Lance are that way when they meet me," Dovah said with a laugh. "I guess that's my brother for you, busy being a G-Man and a Champion that he doesn't remember to tell people about his family."

"So, anyway," Dovah continued, "When will you guys be challenging my Gym? I have my Dragons all ready for the battles of a lifetime."

"Actually, we were hoping to challenge you tomorrow, after we rested up," Rachel said. Ash nodded in agreement.

Dovah smiled. "Well, I look forward to your challenge, but don't expect an easy victory. My gym is where the true ferocity of the American League takes form." With that, Dovah left, his cape billowing behind him.

Ash was not concerned in the slightest as he pulled out his most prized possession, his Mega Evolution Keystone, and placed it on his wrist, if the league was going to get more difficult, he would step his game up as well. It was Charizard's time to shine.

Rachel, on the other hand, reached down to pet her new Sylveon. She would be the Pokémon to use in this battle, but just to be safe, Rachel also had her Excadrill, should she come up against a Dragalage, and her Hydreigon out of mere principle.

"Hey Rachel," Ash said.

Rachel turned toward Ash, "Yes?"

"How about we start training at a new level?" Ash asked.

Rachel gave a dazzling smile. "I couldn't have said any better. Let's get started babe."

It was noon the next day when Ash and Rachel stood at the entrance to Dovah's Gym, which looked similar to Clair's gym in Johto. Ash had Charizard's and Latias's Pokéballs on his belt, knowing that they would be all he needed for the match, but he had Pikachu, Sceptile, Metagross, and Salamence as back up plans, should Dovah prove to be more dangerous of an opponent than expected.

Rachel, on the other hand, had her Sylveon, Hydreigon, Excadrill, Manectric, Milotic, and Delphox all ready to battle. That would be her order of Pokémon, and she knew she could win this.

"Hey, Ash," Rachel said, causing Ash to look towards his girlfriend.

"What's up?"

"Would you mind if I went first for this gym battle?" Rachel said, kind of shyly. Ash just gave a charming smile.

"Of course babe, it's not a problem at all," he said. "Besides, I always love watching you battle."

Rachel blushed slightly. She already considered Ash to be the best boyfriend she had ever had, but the fact that she was constantly being surprised by the Kanto native was a new one. All of her past boyfriends fell into the same routines, trying to act tough all the time, or be passive, or (one in particular stood out to her) they were so terrified of her father that they never did anything even remotely risqué. Ash was different. He constantly treated Rachel with the utmost respect, spoiled her when he could afford to, and he did what no other boy had ever done: work with her to improve their relationship. At the same time, while he held a deep respect for her father, Ash was by no means scared of Jordan. If anything, Ash was spurred on to become stronger than her father. Yet despite his goals, he was always so kind when it came to her and their Pokémon (granted he could be a little stubborn at times).

Knowing that she had Ash as support, Rachel knew she could not lose this battle. With that, she stepped into the gym. They were greeted with an open-roof battlefield.

"Welcome Ash and Rachel. I hope you both brought your best today," Dovah said from across the Gym. "I hope both of you have worked on your team combinations, because I am throwing you a curveball. We are having a 2-on-1 double battle. You will choose three Pokémon each to combat my six. Step into the challenger's box and we will begin!"


	25. Double Trouble

**Hey everybody, just wanted to say thanks for reading this far, and I hope you continue to enjoy this story. Here is the next chapter, and FYI, this gym battle chapter will be much more difficult for Ash and Rachel. Also, given that the anime gave Ash a Noibat (and I predict it will soon be a Noivern) I am adding him to Ash's arsenal of Pokémon.**

_Double Trouble_

"The 2-on-1 double battle between Dovah, the leader, and the challenging team of Ash and Rachel will now commence. Dovah will now choose his two Pokémon!" said the referee.

"Go, Kingdra and Goodra!" Dovah called out, releasing his first two Pokémon.

"The challengers may now select their Pokémon."

"Rachel, save your Sylveon for last, and I will do the same with Charizard," Ash said.

"Agreed," Rachel said.

"Go Salamence/Hydreigon!" the couple called simultaneously, releasing the two dragons that they received from Seth when this journey was still new.

"Begin the battle!" the referee called out.

"Salamence, use Dragon Dance!" Ash commanded. Salamence was shrouded in a red-black aura as it moved in an almost hypnotic fashion, raising its speed and attacking power.

"Hydreigon, use Hyper Voice!" Rachel called out. The three heads of the dark dragon roared in unison, sending a massive shockwave at Goodra and Kingdra.

"Goodra, use Protect and shield Haxorous as well. Kingdra, use Dragon Dance as well!" Dovah commanded calmly. Goodra leapt in front of Kingdra and created a green sphere of energy, blocking the Hyper Voice attack before it hit either itself or Kingdra. Kingdra began to move like Salamence and he took on the red and black aura.

"Salamence, use Dragon Rush on Goodra!" Ash commanded. Salamence took on a blue aura cloak as he flew at high speeds toward Goodra, who had no time to dodge. The goo dragon was knocked back a few feet, but it wasn't beaten yet. In fact, it seemed like the dragon merely absorbed the hit, even with the type disadvantage. Now Ash saw what was meant when Dovah said his Gym was at a whole new level from the previous six gyms (considering how easily he swept the other gyms despite the acclaim that the American League was given). These dragons were durable, and Ash feared how much they could dish out, and he had a sneaking suspicion that he was going to find out soon.

Rachel, however, wasn't going to let Kingdra go without being hit hard. "Hydreigon, use Draco Meteor!" she called out. Hydreigon's center head began to generate a ball of orange energy before launching it into the air, where it erupted into multiple meteors, which flew towards both Kingdra and Goodra.

"Kingdra, use Hyper Beam on Hydreigon," Dovah said, just as calmly as before. Kingdra fired a massive, red and purple beam of energy at Hydreigon, colliding with the dragon, sending the hydra back. While the Draco Meteor hit, once the smoke cleared it was clear that Kingdra had taken very little damage from the attack. Hydreigon had a great deal of trouble getting up.

This was terrifying to Ash. He had trained for years, but had never experienced this level of Pokémon. Not even Clair in Johto had trained her dragons this hard. If it was terrifying to Ash, it was exponentially so for Rachel. She had never experienced this level of Pokémon, and even though this was her seventh gym battle, she could never have prepared for such a high level trainer in the time that she had trained, even with the time in the Hall of Origin.

"I see that you have both realized how strong my Pokémon are," Dovah said. "Allow me to explain why they are so powerful. I have trained my team to be able to take on trainers at Red's level. That is the extent of the American League's true might. The earlier gyms were just the way to weed out the weaker trainers from the flock and to test who was truly determined to become a Champion. If you can't win under these circumstances, then you should know that it will continue to get more difficult as you continue."

Rachel spoke up. "But my dad always said that he was able to easily beat the gyms of the American League."

"Your father was an exceptional trainer, and he owned a Ho-oh at the time. Aside from the legendary Pokémon, he trained his Pokémon to be far more powerful than anything I have ever seen. The only person who has beaten me since Jordan was your cousin, Ross, and he still struggled to win against me. To earn my badge, you must battle harder than you've ever battled before."

Ash nodded as he acknowledged what Dovah said. Perhaps it was time to battle even harder. He returned Salamence to his Pokéball before sending out his long-time friend, who appeared with a booming roar. "Go Charizard!" Ash called out. "Rachel, bring out Sylveon, we can't afford to waste time being fancy."

Rachel agreed, so she recalled Hydreigon and sent out her newest team member. "Sylveon, let's turn up the heat!" The blue cat-like Pokémon appeared with a charming cry.

"So, you switched to two Pokémon, which may or may not help you, am I right?" Dovah asked. "Well, make all the substitutes you wish, but it won't change the fact that you will struggle to beat me."

"I don't think you're correct there," Ash said. "Haven't you noticed what Charizard is wearing?" he asked as he gestured to Charizard's neckband and Mega Stone. "I think it is time for us to truly show everybody what we can do. Charizard, Mega Evolve!" With that, the keystone in Ash's wristband began to glow brilliantly, Rachel watched in amazement, seeing a Mega-Evolution that wasn't her dad's Swampert was always incredible. Dovah, however didn't seem to be phased at all. In fact, he just smirked, even as Charizard took the massive, black and blue form of his dragon-type mega evolution.

"Well, I would say this is unexpected, but I would be lying. I have watched your battles on television before, Ash. This is hardly a surprise to me, and I know how to counter your Charizard's power," Dovah said. "You should know that, between my brother and me, I was actually the stronger trainer, I just chose to live in a more powerful region."

Ash realized then how much trouble he and Rachel were in with this battle. Lance was known to be incredibly powerful. According to Dovah, however, he and the next Gym Leader were even stronger than that. This would truly be a difficult region to conquer, but that just pushed the Chosen One to do even better.

"Charizard, Dragon Claw, and hit both Goodra and Kingdra as you go by!" Ash called out. Both sets of Charizard's claws lit up with green energy and extended a meter farther than the normal claws. Charizard roared and seemed to get launched from a cannon as it closed the distance between itself and the two enemy Pokémon, slashing across the two dragons. This time, the attack did significant damage, sending the two dragons to the wall, and while Goodra was able to get back up, Kingdra stayed down.

Dovah looked a bit worried as he recalled Kingdra. "I may have spoken too soon about my knowledge of that Charizard of yours, Ash," he said.

"Well, what did you expect from the world's strongest Charizard?" Ash replied. "He didn't train in the Charicific Valley for nothing."

"I'm up now," Rachel said. "Sylveon, use Moonblast on Goodra!" Sylveon's blue body began to glow brilliantly as she fired a ball of lunar energy. That energy struck Goodra as it stood up, sending it deep into the wall. This time, Goodra stayed down.

Dovah now looked surprised as he recalled Goodra. "That is the same Sylveon that just evolved yesterday?" he asked.

"It is," Rachel said. "We trained her hard, and as you can clearly see, she has improved dramatically."

"Well, I give credit that you trained her to be strong, and you did it fast. Unfortunately for you, that won't be enough to take on my next duo. GO, HAXOROUS AND NOIVERN!" Out came a gigantic Noivern, even larger than Ash's own Noivern, and a Haxorous that made Iris's Haxorous look like a toy (yes, Iris did evolve her Axew, but that's irrelevant).

"Well, those are some big dragons, but we will still win this battle," Rachel said. "Sylveon, use Dazzling Gleam!" Sylveon began to gleam extremely bright, almost blinding Ash, but it clearly did more damage to Haxorous and Noivern (although that still wasn't too noticeable). When it faded, the enemy dragons were slightly more tired than before, but they still stood strong.

That was when Ash gave his next command. "Charizard, use Dragon Wing!" calling for one of the combination moves that he and Charizard had worked on together. This was a combination of Steel Wing and Dragon Claw. Charizard's wings began to glow like steel while his claws were extending out with the same green energy as before, only this time, the energy began to move towards Charizard's wings. When the energy had all been absorbed into the wings, Charizard flew at Haxorous and Noivern like a bullet.

"Both of you dodge that!" Dovah called out. "And Noivern, use Boomburst!" Noivern's ears began to vibrate before launching a massive sonic wave. It was so loud that both Charizard and Sylveon recoiled at the sound. Haxorous didn't get away from Charizard's attack in time, and it got thrown across the battlefield, and it was defeated. Noivern was quicker, however, and got away by spinning to dodge Charizard's wings. The dragon bat seemed to be unfazed despite the proximity of the devastating attack.

"Moonblast!" Rachel called out quickly, just as Noivern had dodged Charizard's Dragon Wing. It was so perfectly timed that just as Noivern stopped moving, the ball of lunar energy slammed into the bat. Noivern was caught in a large cloud of smoke, only to plummet to the ground from the smoke and it landed hard. Noivern, however, was too sturdy to be beaten so easily. It was too strong to be beaten with a few Fairy type attacks.

"Haxorous return!" Dovah said with some frustration in his voice. "Alright, that was a good combination there, but I still have three more Pokémon, and they are much more powerful than the last three. Now, GO HYDREIGON!" That was when a massive Hydreigon appeared, roaring louder than any creature Ash had ever heard, except maybe for Giratina. "Noivern, use Dragon Pulse on Charizard, and Hydreigon, use Flash Cannon!" Both Noivern and Hydreigon reared back before launching four beams of energy (three from Hydreigon) at Sylveon and Charizard.

"Charizard, Ancient Power!" Ash commanded. Charizard gathered five glowing boulders in front of him, four went to counter the beams while one went for Noivern.

"Sylveon, Echoed Voice!" Rachel called out, knowing that Sylveon's ability, Pixilate, would make Echoed Voice far more devastating to Hydreigon than normal.

The four beams from Dovah's Pokémon collided with Charizard's attacks, causing an explosion, while the fifth boulder flew at Noivern at high velocity. The boulder collided with Noivern, sending it flying across the field. That was when a loud cry echoed through the stadium as Sylveon cried out loudly. A wave of sound flew from Sylveon at Hydreigon and Noivern, slamming into them hard. Hydreigon seemed to be strongly affected by the attack, Noivern, who was still recovering from being hit by Ancient Power, was knocked out.

"Noivern, return! Now go, DRAGONITE!" Dovah called out as he sent out his fifth Pokémon. Dragonites were typically strong Pokémon, but this one was exponentially stronger than any that Ash or Rachel had ever seen, and Ash had beaten Drake's Dragonite in the Orange Islands, and Rachel's own mother had the strongest Dragonite she had seen until now. The Dragonite before the duo was monstrous, and it had a fierce expression, which was bolstered by an X-shaped scar across its face.

"Alright, you have officially made it farther than any challengers since Ross has. Now show me that you can finish this match," Dovah said. "Now, Dragonite, use Dragon Dance, Hydreigon, use Toxic on Sylveon!" Dragonite began to move like Salamence and Kingdra had earlier, but this one seemed to do more for Dragonite than the other two Pokémon had previously shown. Now it seemed to move much faster than before. That was when Hydreigon shot a ball of sludge that splashed over Sylveon, poisoning the Pokémon severely.

Sylveon looked like she was in pain as the poison coursed through her. "Sylveon, Return!" Rachel called out as she called Sylveon back. That however, didn't go as planned. Sylveon dodged the beam from the Pokéball; it had a look of determination. That was when Rachel realized that Sylveon was determined to win this, and nothing would stop her, not even Toxic. "Alright Sylveon, just don't overdo it." Rachel said with a good deal of concern in her voice.

"Charizard, use Dragon Claw on Hydreigon!" Ash called out. Charizard's claws grew and turned a bright green. Charizard then flew at Hydreigon at a high speed

"Dragonite, Outrage on Charizard!" Dovah commanded. Rachel had seen Outrage performed by Jordan's Garchomp on occasion, and like Garchomp, this Dragonite was a special case of power, and Rachel knew she needed to stop it. Dragonite covered itself in a coat of dragon fire as it flew at incredible speed at Charizard.

"Sylveon, hit Dragonite with Moonblast and stop Outrage!" Rachel called out. Sylveon shot a ball of lunar energy directly where Dragonite was going to be, while Charizard continued to fly at Hydreigon.

"Hydreigon, use Dragon Pulse on Charizard," Dovah commanded calmly. Hydreigon fired three intertwining beams at Charizard, who casually slashed through it and flew at Hydreigon then attacked at full force, slashing across Charizard's body, throwing Hydreigon across the field, it slammed into the ground but it wasn't quite beaten. Hydreigon managed to get back into the air quickly, regaining its posture.

Just as Charizard finished his attack, Dragonite got hit with the Moonblast. It staggered slightly, until something happened that seemed to make Dragonite get more attack power. "That would be Dragonite's Weakness Policy activating," Dovah said matter-of-factly. "His attack and special attack have both been increased by two stages." Dragonite slammed into Charizard, sending Ash's close friend and one of his strongest Pokémon flying into the wall. Ash could not believe what he saw as Charizard reverted to his natural form and collapsed.

"Charizard return," Ash said. "Thank you for battling so hard Charizard. I promise that Rachel and I will win this for you. Now, I choose you, Salamence!" Salamence reappeared from Ash's Pokéball. "Now, use Extreme Speed on Hydreigon!" Ash called out. Salamence vanished for a split second before reappearing behind Hydreigon, slamming into it with immense force. This time, when Hydreigon slammed into the floor, he stayed there, unconscious.

"Hydreigon, return, you have earned a long rest my friend," Dovah said as he pulled out his last Pokéball. "Now, I choose you, Latios!" he called out as he released the blue Eon Pokémon. Ash was surprised to see that Dovah had a Latios, but he was even more surprised to see that there was a Latiosite around its neck. That was when Ash noticed that one of the clasps on Dovah's cape was a keystone. "Now, Latios, Mega Evolve!" the Leader commanded. Latios's Mega Stone began to glow brightly, with streams of light connecting with the light coming from the keystone. The stadium filled with a bright light once more, and when it faded Latios had Mega Evolved.

"Sylveon, use Echoed Voice again!" Rachel called out. Sylveon cried out loudly, this cry even more powerful than the last one. Dragonite was shaken clearly, but Latios seemed completely unaffected.

"Salamence, Dragon Claw on Dragonite, then finish it off with Aerial Ace!" Ash called out. Salamence's front claws began to glow a green color as the dragon flew at Dragonite. Salamence managed to slash Dragonite across the chest, but Dragonite was still up for the battle. Then Salamence vanished before slamming into Dragonite's back.

"Dragonite, spin around and take out Salamence with a Dragon Pulse!" Dovah called out. Despite plummeting to the ground, it managed to turn around and fire a massive beam of energy at Salamence. Salamence had no time to dodge, so he was struck hard by the beam, which exploded on contact. As the smoke cleared, Salamence fell to the ground as well. It had taken a great deal of damage from the attack and was now unable to continue battling. Dragonite crashed into the ground hard, also unable to battle. "Return, Dragonite!" Dovah commanded, now only using his Mega-Evolved Latios.

"Return, Salamence" Ash said. He was down to his last Pokémon. "Now, go Latias!" Ash called out as he sent out his own Eon Pokémon. Latias appeared with a loud coo, and she began to levitate next to Sylveon, who appeared to be in immense pain from the poison. That was when Ash got an idea. "Latias, use Heal Bell," he said. Latias's eyes began to glow as a translucent bell appeared overhead and began to toll. When the bell rang, Sylveon appeared to be re-energized from the sound as the poison left her body.

Now it seemed that Rachel and Ash had their second wind. "Sylveon, use Moonblast," Rachel commanded.

"Latias, combine a Shadow Ball with Moonblast," Ash commanded. Latias created an inky black ball of energy before shooting it directly towards Sylveon's shining white ball of lunar energy. The two spheres collided and swirled together forming a steel-colored ball of energy which Latias grabbed with her Psychic powers before throwing it at Latios with great speed.

"Latios, dodge and use Calm Mind!" Dovah said. Latios barrel-rolled and dodged the incoming attack with seeming ease. Then he seemed to relax visibly while his eyes were closed. A blue aura appeared around Mega-Latios. Once the aura dissipated, Latios opened its eyes and took on a fierce expression. "Now, use Luster Purge on Sylveon!" Latios launched a beam of purple energy at the Fairy Pokémon.

"Sylveon, dodge and use Psyshock," Rachel called out. Sylveon leapt to the side of the incoming Luster Purge attack. Then Sylveon began to glow with blue psychic energy as it shot a powerful wave of psychic energy at Latios. This time, Sylveon's attack hit its mark, but it didn't do much damage. Latios even had an expression that seemed to say, "This should be fun. I am going to wipe the floor with you."

Ash noticed this and decided to wipe that smug look off Latios's face. "Latias, Dragon Rush!" he called out. Latias flew up before looping around, cloaking itself in a bright blue aura. Latias flew at such a high speed that a sonic boom echoed through the entire stadium as she rocketed toward Latios before colliding with the mega-evolved Pokémon.

Latios was thrown back quickly from the force of the impact, but it recovered from the attack quickly as it regained its composure. "Sylveon, Echoed Voice again!" Rachel called out. Sylveon cried out again, three sonic waves appeared and flew toward Latios.

"Latios, fly up and then use Steel Wing on Sylveon!" Dovah called out. Latios rocketed into the sky as his wings began to shine like steel. It looped toward Sylveon and then seemed to disappear like it was using Aerial Ace, only to appear as its wing slammed into Sylveon. Sylveon went flying into the wall, making a crater. Sylveon was out of the battle.

"Sylveon, return!" Rachel said as she recalled Sylveon to her Pokéball. "Now, go, Milotic!" she called out as she sent out the beautiful serpentine Pokémon appeared.

"Latias, use Ice Beam!" Ash called out.

"Milotic, you use Ice Beam too!" Rachel said. Both Latias and Milotic gathered ice energy before launching three tendrils each at Latios.

"Latios, dodge and use Thunderbolt on Milotic!" Dovah commanded. Latios once again gracefully dodged around Latias's beams, although it didn't get out of the way of Milotic's attack. The Ice Beam clipped Latios's wing, but it didn't hurt it too greatly. It gathered electricity before launching an enormous stream of lightning at Milotic.

"Latias, use Protect and defend Milotic," Ash said. Latias flew in front of Milotic and formed a green sphere of energy which deflected the electricity, avoiding damage completely.

"Milotic, use Scald!" Rachel called out. Milotic fired a massive stream of boiling water at Latios, hitting its mark squarely in the chest. When the steam cleared, there was a burn on Latios's chest.

"Alright! Way to go Milotic!" Rachel said, praising her Pokémon. With the new turn of events, Rachel and Ash were certain that they would win this.

"Latias, use Dragon Pulse and finish this battle!" Ash called. Latias began to gather energy in her mouth before firing a green and purple beam. Latios was slightly slower with the new burn, so it was unable to dodge in time. The Dragon Pulse landed with an explosion that sent the Mega-Evolved Pokémon spinning.

"Milotic, Dragon Tail!" Milotic leapt at Latios, her tail glowing green. She spun fast, whipping her tail around and slamming it into Latios. The Eon Pokémon cooed like Latias did earlier, but in a deeper tone. Latios was thrown to the floor, which is where he remained as he reverted to his normal form. The battle was finished, and the couple had won their hardest Gym Battle yet.

"Latios return," Dovah said as he crossed the field. "You fought valiantly, and I thank you for that, my friend." When he got to Ash and Rachel, he held two badges that looked like an aerial view of a dragon in flight (picture the Skyrim logo). "Congratulations to both of you, I now present you with the Wyrm Badge. You have proven your skills as Pokémon trainers."

Ash and Rachel both beamed with happiness. They grabbed their badges, recalled their Pokémon, and left the gym. When they were on the street, Rachel leapt into Ash's arms, kissing him passionately to celebrate their victory. It had been a great battle, and despite the difficulty, they made it through the crucible, and now they were only one badge away from the Elite Four of the American League.

"Now, after we rest up for the night, we will travel to Igland City over the mountains," Rachel said as she broke the kiss.

"Sounds like a plan. Tonight however, we celebrate," Ash said with a sly wink. Rachel liked the sound of that. With that said, they went back to the Pokémon Center for the night, and it was a good night indeed.


	26. Blizzard Mountain

**So, the last chapter was much longer than the ones before. I think that from now on I will aim to make chapters just as long as the previous chapter. As always, constructive criticism is welcome. Enjoy the next installment.**

_Blizzard Mountain_

The next morning saw Ash and Rachel standing at the base of a massive mountain, wearing snowsuits; Pikachu was huddled in Ash's coat. They would need to climb over the mountain to get to Igland City, the home of the most powerful gym leader in the American League. There was a great deal of dangerous passes on this mountain, and unfortunately many a trainer had fallen and been too gravely injured to actually continue on their journey, and some had even perished here. It was perilous, but at the end of the mountain was the valley containing Igland City, and their final gym badge.

Now, you may be wondering, "Why don't they just fly over the mountain on their Pokémon?" The answer is simple. You see, the mountain's conditions are such that no flying Pokémon would ever get close to it, for fear of their wings freezing, as there was a constant blizzard on the mountain, making flight nearly impossible. This is why Ash and Rachel had to stay on the ground for this trek.

"Well, let's start this climb, Rachel," Ash said. "We might as well get moving while the sun is still out."

"Right, let's go," Rachel said with some hesitation evident in her voice.

"Hey, no need to be scared, you have me here for you," Ash said.

Rachel started giggling and blushing lightly, "Yeah, I guess that's true." Ash was surprised, he had never actually seen Rachel blush and not try to hide it from him. "Alright, let's get going."

They started the climb. It started off around thirty-two degrees near the base, and there was a gentle snow shower. After a couple minutes of walking, the wind grew fiercer, and the snow fell harder. That was when the duo arrived at their first major obstacle. A nearly 50-foot vertical cliff covered in ice. Luckily, the nurse at the Pokémon Center had given them the necessary equipment for the climb.

Ash and Rachel both sat down as they hooked up climbing cleats to their boots and pulled out their ice picks. "Alright Pikachu, get ready to climb," Ash said. Pikachu just reached up and zipped Ash's coat tighter, staying out of the cold. Rachel laughed loudly at that sight.

"I will never get tired of watching Pikachu's antics," Rachel laughed. Ash just smiled as he heard Rachel's beautiful laugh. With that, the two trainers spiked the ice and began to climb. They got almost halfway up the cliff when they began to hear ice cracking below them. Ash looked over at Rachel with fear in his eyes.

"CLIMB!" Ash cried out in fear. Rachel didn't need to be told twice as she and Ash both climbed as rapidly as possible. They just barely made it to solid ground when the ice wall below them began to break apart and collapse. Behind it was a smooth concave stone wall which would have been impossible to climb up. "Rachel just sat down and began to laugh like she was slightly in shock.

"Oh Arceus, seems like we just cheated death," she said.

"Yeah, I think it's time to get moving away from the edge of this cliff and get to more solid ground," Ash said. Rachel nodded in agreement as they all stood up and walked up the slope of the mountain once more. The saw multiple Ice-Type Pokémon on and around the mountain for a while, but they weren't focused on the Pokémon, at least not until the blizzard suddenly ceased.

There came a shrill cry from above Rachel and Ash when the storm ceased. Ash knew the cry all too well from his travels in the Orange Islands, the Johto Region, and at the Battle Factory. Rachel looked up and suddenly took a surprised step back. "Ash, look up!" she said in a quiet tone. Ash did as she asked, looking at the source of the cry. He gasped as he saw the legendary ice bird, Articuno. In his experience, Articuno only appeared on mountainsides to warn travelers of impending danger.

"Articuno," Ash said in quiet awe. No matter how many legendary Pokémon Ash had encountered, he was still awestruck whenever he saw such rare Pokémon.

Rachel was quiet as well. She was accustomed to seeing Raikou with her father (and she had a strong friendship with Raikou as well), but that was different from seeing a wild legendary Pokémon. "Wow, Articuno is beautiful," Rachel said. "But why is there one here?"

Ash looked in front of himself and he saw a gorge barely five feet in front of them. The blizzard had blocked it from their view, and had Articuno arrived a few seconds later, they would have fallen. "Rachel, look down," Ash said. Rachel looked down and gasped loudly as she saw the ravine.

"Once again, we cheated death, it seems," Rachel said with fear evident in her voice. She turned toward Articuno. "Thank you so much Articuno. If it weren't for you, we would definitely have fallen."

Articuno cooed lowly before flying away. Ash and Rachel knew that they had to stop relying on luck so much with this leg of the journey. They only had a little bit longer to walk before they got to the cavern that led through to Igland City. That cavern was located near the top of the mountain, and there was an even greater danger lurking in the caverns.

The duo made their way around the gorge and continued on their trek. The temperature was dropping rapidly, and the blizzard resumed in full force. This time, Ash and Rachel kept a close eye on the road ahead of them. After four hours of climbing the fierce mountain uninterrupted by new obstacles, they came to a ledge that led directly to the cavern that they needed to go through. That was when they saw their next obstacle: an avalanche coming down the mountain side. If they didn't out-run it and get to the cave before the snow got there, they would be unable to get through, and they would likely get trapped under the massive snowdrift. They had to sprint.

"Come on Ash, we have to run!" Rachel cried out. They both sprinted at top-speed, and they had no time to spare. Rachel was slightly ahead of Ash, but she was so focused on getting to the cave entrance that she didn't see that the avalanche was right over the mouth of the cave. Ash did see it, and he knew that only one of them would be able to make it at this pace. He took a chance.

"Latias, get us into the cave now!" Ash said as he let out the Eon Pokémon. Latias grabbed him and got under Rachel, then broke the sound barrier briefly, getting into the cave within a few seconds, just narrowly getting past the falling snow. After Latias came to a stop, Ash, Pikachu (who had popped out of Ash's coat when they got into the cave), and Rachel watched as the avalanche came crashing down, sealing off the exit completely. "That was way too close," he said as he hugged Latias around her neck. "Thank you so much Latias, if it wasn't for you we'd definitely be dead," he said.

_Don't mention it Ash. Just please don't ever do that again._ Latias said through telepathy.

"Oh believe me, we won't ever do that again if we can help it," Ash responded. Latias seemed to lighten up after hearing that.

_Good, now if you have no more need for me to be out, please let me back into my Pokéball, the cold is not a good climate for me._

Ash smiled and reciprocated by pulling out her Pokéball and having her return to it. "Thanks again Latias, now let's get moving," he said. He and Rachel noticed that the cave was warmer than the outside of the mountain was. They unzipped their coats slightly, letting out the extra heat. "Alright, you ready to procee-" Ash said as he was cut off by an incredibly deep roar that echoed through the cave. "Did you hear that?"

Rachel just gave Ash a look that said "Really? Did you really just ask that?"

"Sorry, dumb question," Ash said.

"Anyway, yeah, I heard it. I think it was the snow settling. Just relax, we should be fine if we keep moving through the cave," Rachel said, although she sounded like she was trying to convince herself of what she was saying about the noise.

"Alright babe, let's keep going. I mean, it's not like we have any other options," Ash said with a slight laugh. Rachel laughed as well, although it wasn't a very convincing laugh.

With that, Ash pulled out a flashlight and began to illuminate their path. It was a winding slope through the mountain and there were ice stalactites hanging from the ceiling. They began to make their way along the path, almost tripping a few times as they worked their way through the uneven ground. There was even a moment when Rachel stepped on a rock and fell as it broke from the walkway. Ash was quick on the grab as he caught Rachel's hand before she fell too far away from him. "You okay?" he asked.

"Yeah, yeah I'm fine," she said. "Just a little scared. Nice reflexes by the way."

"It's no problem. You know I would never let anything bad happen to you," Ash said as he pulled Rachel into a tight embrace. Rachel blushed as Ash held her close to his chest. She was so close that she could hear his heart beating at a hard and fast pace before it settled down. That was when Rachel realized just how much Ash really cared. He was terrified to lose her, and his body's response proved it.

Ash indeed was telling the truth, and he knew it too well. Not even Serena had made him feel this way, and Serena had been closer to him than any of his previous female companions. Now, Rachel was even closer to him than that. She was so much like him that it was scary. She battled in a way that complimented his style perfectly, and she deeply cared for every Pokémon she had. She had literally all the best qualities from his other companions, and he loved that.

Rachel began to lean towards Ash's face to get a kiss, but just as she was within an inch another roar echoed through the cave, this time it was much louder, and it clearly wasn't the snow. It sounded like a massive Pokémon was nearby.

Ash pulled out his Pokédex and began to scan around and below them. For a while, there was no reading, then the screen lit up with the picture of an impossibly rare Pokémon and the robotic voice began to speak

Kyurem, the Boundary Pokémon. This legendary ice Pokémon waits for a hero to fill in the missing parts of its body with truth or ideals. It is said that this Pokémon originated from the same dragon as Reshiram and Zekrom. When the dragon was separated, Kyurem was the empty shell left behind.

Ash couldn't believe what he was seeing. There was a Kyurem here, and they were approaching it very quickly. "Let's get closer," he said.

"Are you insane? Kyurem may kill us," Rachel said.

"I may be insane, but just remember that you are dating me, so if I'm crazy, what does that make you?" Ash said with a cheeky smile. "Besides, this may be the best chance for us to see a Kyurem up close, and possibly even capture it."

Rachel just sighed. "I doubt that we will ever catch it, but sure, whatever you say. Don't blame me when your Pokémon are flattened on the cave floor," she said, clearly giving up on changing Ash's mind. "We already cheated death a few times, so I guess I will watch if you want to try to catch that dragon."

"Well, I guess that's okay. Just know that when I have a legendary Pokémon like Kyurem, don't ask to borrow it," Ash said with a sly wink. Rachel just shook her head and followed as Ash walked down the slope even farther. Ash got near the base of the mountain when there came two exits, one led immediately to the path that would take them toward Igland City. The other path led deeper into the mountain, where the roars echoed from. Behind them was a large, flat, circular area, almost as if it was planned out for somebody to battle in this cave. "KYUREM, I CHALLENGE YOU!" Ash yelled down the tunnel.

There came a long silence before a heavy footstep echoed through the tunnel. "Well then, let us begin!" said a deep voice that radiated power. Soon, a pair of glowing yellow eyes appeared from the darkness, and as it got closer, the legendary ice dragon came clear from the shadows. It was an incredible sight. The monstrous dragon was even bigger than the one Ash had encountered in Unova while he was helping Keldeo.

This one looked powerful, and it spoke clearly. "Before we begin our battle, I would like to know the name of my newest victim."

"I am Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town, Pokémon Master in training," Ash said.

"Hmm. Ash Ketchum, you say? So, you are the current Chosen One. I remember when the last Chosen One came through here. He captured me just for his Pokédex before releasing me. His name was Jordan," Kyurem said.

Rachel spoke up then, "He's my father!"

Kyurem looked up at Rachel. "Well, you don't look terribly like your father, but you have his scent on you. His battle was the only one that actually pushed me to my limits."

Ash nodded to Pikachu. "You ready buddy?"

Pikachu leapt from Ash's coat and landed with sparks coming from his cheeks. "Pikachu!" he called out.

"So, the acclaimed Pikachu is my opponent. Arceus himself speaks highly of you, young one. Now, show me what you've got!"

"Pikachu, Thunderbolt!" Ash commanded. Pikachu leapt into the air and began to gather electricity before unleashing it in a large bolt of lightning. It struck Kyurem, but the dragon seemed unfazed by the electricity, in fact Kyurem just laughed.

"It seems that your Pikachu's Thunderbolt is just as powerful as it is rumored. That, however, will not be enough to beat me. I am too strong for that," Kyurem laughed.

"I'm not done yet Kyurem. Pikachu, use Iron Tail!" Pikachu

"Foolish boy!" Kyurem responded as he fired a massive Dragon Pulse at Pikachu.

"Pikachu, cut that Dragon Pulse with your Iron Tail. Then hit Kyurem with Volt Tackle!" Ash said. Pikachu did as Ash commanded by cutting cleanly through Kyurem's attack, sending the two halves flying away from each other. He then flipped himself into a Volt Tackle, rocketing toward Kyurem at break-neck pace. Pikachu managed to slam into the massive Pokémon, kicking up some dirt in the process. Pikachu leapt out of the dust, doing a flip as he got away from the legendary dragon.

That was when the entire cave floor became covered in ice, and multiple pillars of ice formed. Then a freezing wind blew through, filled with ice and snow. There was a fierce wind blowing through the area and it was filled with ice, snow, and hail. It was Kyurem's Glatiate attack, and it was painful for Ash, and he could tell that Pikachu was getting chilled to his bones. Pikachu would be slower from this attack.

"Pikachu, use multiple Agilities and use repeated Electro Balls!" Ash said. Pikachu began to run circles around Kyurem, every once and a while, he would fire off an Electro Ball, each one getting stronger than the last one.

Rachel was impressed with what she was seeing. Ash was taking on Kyurem, who was considered one of the strongest dragon type Pokémon, and he seemed to be holding his own. It was easy see that Ash was not playing around with this battle. She wondered, though, where was did this fighting spirit come from. Even after all the time they traveled together, Rachel still couldn't tell what the source of Ash's motivation was. "I guess that's something I will just have to keep traveling with him to figure that out," she said to herself.

"Pikachu, use one last Electro Ball, then use Iron Tail!" Ash commanded. Pikachu leapt into the air, electricity forming a sphere.

"Pikapikapika, chu-pi!" Pikachu called out as he fired off the strongest Electro Ball of the match so far. It flew at Kyurem at high speeds, Kyurem just waited and took the attack. When the smoke cleared, Kyurem seemed almost as if he was unscathed from the onslaught of attacks.

"You try my patience boy. I hoped that a Chosen One would have greater skills and power, but it seems I was wrong. You have a good strategy, but you will not win with that alone," Kyurem said.

Ash gritted his teeth. This was an extremely dangerous battle, and Ash was getting concerned that he would be defeated by this legendary behemoth. "Pikachu, hit him with Iron Tail, and do it fast!" Pikachu did as commanded, lighting up his tail, swinging it hard and slamming it into Kyurem. Kyurem recoiled from the attack this time, shaken visibly.

"Perhaps I spoke too soon, but that changes nothing. Now, face my wrath!" Kyurem said as he fired off a massive stream of fire, using Fusion Flare.

"Pikachu, dodge it, and then use Thunderbolt!" Ash called out. Pikachu, with his increased speed, vanished from the line of fire (no pun intended) before reappearing above the dragon and letting a massive bolt of lightning. It was powerful shot, and it landed perfectly, almost critically. Kyurem grunted loudly and a dust cloud kicked up. Pikachu landed strongly, waiting to see what had happened. The dust settled and Kyurem was on one knee. He had static electricity leaping from his body, showing that Pikachu had paralyzed him with his attack.

"Is it enough for me to capture him?" Ash wondered. He grabbed a Pokéball and threw it at Kyurem. The Pokéball drew Kyurem inside, but it broke open the instant it hit the ground. "Shit!"

"What are you trying to do?" Kyurem asked. "Do you really expect to capture me? Only one trainer has ever captured me, and I will not allow a second to do so."

Ash flinched. Maybe he shouldn't try to capture Kyurem, it just didn't seem right to him. After all, he had met so many other legendary Pokémon and bonded with them without catching them. This one shouldn't be any different. Instead, he would defeat this dragon before leaving. Besides, using Kyurem would make him no better than Tobias from Sinnoh. It was dishonorable to rely on legendary Pokémon, and Ash never fought with anything less than honor.

"Pikachu, it's time to finish this battle. Quick Attack into Volt Tackle!" Ash commanded. Pikachu leapt forward, a white streak of light extending behind him. Soon that streak of light began to crackle with electricity. That streak then increased in size before it engulfed Pikachu. Pikachu ran as fast as a bullet before slamming into Kyurem at a high speed. Pikachu leapt from the massive ice dragon, flinching from the recoil damage.

"I grow bored with this contest foolish human," Kyurem said. With that, he fired off a Hyper Beam at Pikachu. The beam exploded directly in front of Pikachu, who was thrown back from the force of the attack.

Pikachu landed hard, rolling toward Ash's feet. He managed to get to his feet before taking too much damage. "Pikachu, are you alright?" Ash asked. Pikachu nodded to Ash, he had an incredibly determined look in his eyes. "Well then, let's finish this with one last Quick Attack and Iron Tail!" Pikachu flew at Kyurem, his tail lighting up once more.

"Chuuaaa-Pika!" Pikachu called out as he slammed his tail into the massive dragon, this time he surprised everybody present. Kyurem broke into the floor, creating a crater in the floor. The power of the last Iron Tail was incredible, it seemed that Pikachu had landed a critical hit this time, and Kyurem roared in pain. He glared at Ash, his eyes showing that he had conceded defeat this time.

"It seems that you are indeed worthy of being the Chosen One," Kyurem said before collapsing. He was unable to continue battling now. Ash, never being one to battle a Pokémon and leave it untended, pulled out a Sitrus Berry and bringing it to Kyurem, who graciously accepted the berry. Kyurem stood up as the berry's healing properties took effect.

"Thank you for the incredible battle Kyurem. I will use what I learned from this battle to get myself to the level I need to be at to succeed in the American League," Ash said to the legendary dragon.

"It is always a pleasure to battle a Chosen One, and you were no exception. Now, continue to your destination and achieve your dream," Kyurem said.

With that, Ash had Pikachu get onto his shoulder and he rejoined Rachel, watching as Kyurem returned into his lair. "Great battling babe," Rachel said as she stood next to him. "Not many people can say that they've held their own against a Kyurem. It seems that you have really gotten stronger since coming to this league." With that, she gave Ash a kiss while copping a feel of his butt before running out of the cave's exit with Ash chasing after her, laughing as they ran. Up ahead, they could see the lights of Igland City, so they decided to have some fun with a snowball fight. Pikachu joined in for a fun filled evening, using Iron Tail to throw snow around.

Soon enough, Ash caught Rachel in a hug, and they both fell to the ground laughing. Rachel then looked deep into Ash's eyes, a passionate flame was clear to be seen. Ash leaned in and planted another kiss on Rachel's lips, holding it for a long while before breaking it. "Come on my love," Ash said. "We should get to the city before nightfall." Rachel stood up, wrapped her hand around Ash's elbow and rested her head on his shoulder as they walked. Pikachu decided to take a ride on Rachel's shoulder this time, seeing how happy she made Ash, and wanting to show her how much he liked having her around. With the trio together, they marched on toward Igland City, ready for their final Gym challenge in the American League.


	27. Elsa's Frozen Challenge Part 1

**Hello all, this is the last Gym battle for Rachel and Ash in the American League. I promise that this is the most intense gym battle of this story. Enjoy this chapter and, as always, constructive criticism is welcomed. Another note, I said in a previous chapter that I would stop writing FanFictions for a while so I could start working on a different project soon, but I decided against doing so. I have a different idea of what I will do for my next story. Let me know what you guys would rather see: a Pokémon XD story, or a Pokémon Emerald story. Let me know in the reviews.**

_Elsa's Frozen Challenge Pt. 1_

Rachel awoke in the Pokémon Center, her face pressed firmly against Ash's chest, she smiled as she nuzzled her man's chest gently, and enjoying the closeness she had with Ash. While they traveled, he had told her so much about his previous female traveling companions, and she knew that they would probably have trouble accepting that they had lost their chance with him (although Iris was just a massive bitch, so Rachel really didn't want to meet her anyway). She also knew that Pikachu, Ash's best friend, liked her even better than he liked either Misty or Serena. She loved that, and she knew that Ash would stay with her for the long run. Today, however, she was thinking more about how they would both earn their next gym badges.

Then she was thrown into contemplation. They were both striving for the American League Champion title. What would happen when they both got to the Elite Four, who would battle first, and who would become the champion? Would she be able to battle Ash for the title?

There was also another question she wanted to think on: did she even want to take on the Elite Four? As she traveled and raised her Pokémon for the gym battles, she found that she preferred raising her Pokémon to be the best, not battling them. While Rachel had a good deal of her father in her, she also had a lot of her mother, and Sarah had become a breeder of such skill that Champions and Elite Four members from around the world would come to her to take care of their Pokémon and for her excellent Pokémon food, which consistently ranked as the best in the world for two full decades. Maybe she could follow in Sarah's footsteps, but set up shop in a different region, maybe in Kanto with Ash.

"What's on your mind angel?" Ash said, shocking Rachel out of her meditations. "Didn't know I was awake, did you?" Ash said, his eyes seemingly closed, until Rachel noticed that his eyes were actually just barely opened, and he was watching her with a smile.

"Hey handsome," Rachel said kissing him on the lips before settling back to her original spot. "I was thinking about what would happen if I were to stop going for the Elite Four after this gym battle."

Ash looked at her with interest. "What do you mean?" he asked, genuinely intrigued.

"I mean that I am considering becoming a breeder like my mother. I enjoy raising my Pokémon and being close to them more than I like battling them," Rachel said.

"So, what does that mean for the two of us? Will we continue traveling together?" Ash said, and he seemed concerned.

"Don't worry Ash; I will stay with you, just not battling against the Elite Four. That will be for you to achieve. After all, I know how long you've been working to become a Pokémon Master, make this journey be the one where you become a Champion. After that, we can travel around to help me learn to be a breeder as skilled as Mom, and you can introduce me to your old friends," she said. _To show me off the other girls and make the other guys jealous as hell,_ she thought.

Ash smiled. He could tell what Rachel was thinking just by the look on her face, which turned slightly mischievous when she mentioned his old friends. "It sounds like a great idea, and I will always support your decisions no matter what," he said. "But you know, I was wondering when you would realize that you were better suited for breeding Pokémon."

Rachel was surprised when he said that. "What do you mean, Ash?" she said, honestly curious.

Ash smiled. "I can always tell that you are happiest when you are playing with your Pokémon and raising them. You raise your Pokémon even better than I raise mine. Hell, you got an Eevee to evolve into a Sylveon a week after getting her. That takes so much love and compassion to make that happen. You are better at raising Pokémon than you are at battling, and that is truly saying something," he said while gently stroking her luxuriously long, black hair. "Honestly, if we were a little older, I would marry you in an instant. Besides, you're downright gorgeous too."

Rachel blushed heavily. "Well it seems you know me better than I know myself," she said before planting another kiss on Ash's lips. When she broke it off, she smiled and said, "Come on, let's get showered and prepare for the Gym Battle." Ash didn't need to be told twice as he followed Rachel into the bathroom for their shower.

After their shower, Ash and Rachel went to the Pokémon Center counter to pick up their Pokémon who had been healing overnight before they walked through the snowy city. The buildings were almost all made to look like igloos, but they were made from glass, ice, cement, and wood. Ash was impressed by the construction to say the least. That, however, was not what they were looking for. They were trying to find the Pokémon gym, but they had yet to see it. That was when Pikachu spoke up.

"Pika-pi!" he said while pointing toward a crack in a glacier. That was when Ash noticed a small symbol carved into the side of the ice wall. It was the symbol used by the American League to signify their gyms.

"Hey, Rachel, I think Pikachu found the gym," Ash said. Rachel looked where Pikachu was pointing and groaned.

"Of course, Dad always said that the Igland Gym was hidden in the ice. I guess that he was being literal," Rachel said.

"By the way, do you know anything about the Gym Leader here?" Ash asked.

"Not really, it used to be an old man named Cryo, but he passed away recently. I heard that his granddaughter, Elsa, took over, but her team is largely unknown. She did inherit one Pokémon from Cryo. That one is her most powerful Pokémon, and she seems to have abilities to use Ice-type attacks of her own. Some have even said that she trains with her Pokémon to make them even stronger. She's also supposed to be incredibly beautiful," Rachel said.

"Well, I guarantee that she pales in comparison to you," Ash said, nudging Rachel with his elbow. She smiled back, flattered by Ash's continuous complements. She was just happy that her cheeks were already flushed from the cold winds in this city; otherwise she would have been obviously blushing.

"Are you ready to go into the gym?" Rachel asked with a smile.

"Is the sky blue?" Ash asked slyly. "Come on, it's like you don't even know me."

Rachel just rolled her eyes. She knew it was an obvious answer, but she didn't really care. She knew Ash was just teasing her, but it was a clear sign that he was really ready. "So, who are you going to use in this battle?"

"Well, aside from Pikachu, I have Infernape, Charizard, Donphan, Metagross, and Latias with me. Now, who I'll use depends entirely on who she uses. What about you?"

"Well, I have Delphox, Houndoom, Excadrill, Milotic, Manectric, and Hydreigon. I know it's risky to do battle with Hydreigon in an Ice-Type Gym, but he knows enough strong attacks to compensate for that," she said.

Ash nodded, it seemed that they would have a good chance in this battle. They had plenty of fire, fighting, and steel types with them and this could be easy, but if it was, then the final gym would be a major letdown.

Ash and Rachel entered the glacial cave and heard something strange. It sounded like singing (you know the song), and it was coming from where the path ended: the battlefield. It was a girl singing alto and she had a beautiful voice. It was an amazing song too, but she seemed lost in her music, not entirely looking toward the entrance.

Then Ash noticed that Rachel had been correct in saying that Elsa was beautiful, although she had nothing on Rachel. She had a long, blonde braid, a long, icy blue dress. She was incredibly toned, with the body of a dancer. When she turned around, her song winding to its close, Ash could see that her eyes were also icy blue like her dress and she had a perfectly drawn, black eye shadow on her upper eyelids. That was when she stopped singing, noticing her guests for the first time.

"Oh, I didn't realize I had an audience. Did you enjoy my song?" she asked, blushing lightly, probably from embarrassment.

"You have a beautiful voice," Ash said. "But we only entered at the end of the song."

"I see," Elsa said. "I wrote it when my family discovered that I could use Ice-type attacks. It was quite the shock, and my parents actually tried to have me hide my powers, but the public found out. My grandfather helped me deal with the stress and taught me how to battle Pokémon like the best trainers in the world, and my sister just kept giving me her support," she said. "I take it you two want to challenge me, and I will graciously accept your challenge. May I hear the names of my challengers before we start?"

"I am Ash Ketchum, and this is Pikachu. We're from Pallet Town in the Kanto Region," Ash said.

"And I'm Rachel Moul, from Bath Town," Rachel said.

"I see, Dovah called and said you were on your way here, and that you two were extraordinary Pokémon trainers, and Rachel being the daughter of a legendary trainer, I would expect no less. But you know, I have earned myself a reputation of being far stronger than even my grandfather, who was a master of Ice-Type Pokémon, and it isn't for nothing. I will show you what I mean in a double battle, since you both seem to want to challenge the Elite Four, and I know that you may soon be pitted against each other. Therefore, I will give you both another chance to team up in a battle, how does that sound?"

Ash smiled. He had hoped to hear that. He wanted to get this last badge at the same time as Rachel, and now he could. "You ready babe?" he said.

"Absolutely, let's get started immediately," Rachel said.

"Good, now please take your spot in the challenger's box and we will begin," Elsa said with excitement. "I heard you were good, so I want to confirm that myself."

Ash and Rachel took their spot and got their first Pokéballs ready. Ash had Infernape's Pokéball, while Rachel had Delphox's.

"Begin the match!" Elsa called as she sent out her first two Pokémon: a Lapras, and a Froslass.

"Go, Infernape/Delphox!" Ash and Rachel said simultaneously. Ash knew they should have the upperhand in theory, but he wouldn't underestimate Elsa's Pokémon. If she was even stronger than Dovah, then she would be nearly unstoppable if they didn't battle at their best in this competition.

"You two have the honor of the first move," Elsa said, opening her hands and letting out two puffs of snow from her palms, confirming that she indeed had the power to use Ice-Type attacks.

"Infernape, use Mach Punch!" Ash commanded. Infernape's fists glowed bluish-white and he leapt forward with such force that large rocks were thrown up from the ground, and they crashed down hard as he rocketed toward the Transport Pokémon.

"Delphox, Shadow Ball!" Rachel called out. Delphox held out her hands, forming a ball of black energy in front of her. She threw the ball of shadows at Froslass, throwing it hard and fast.

Infernape and Delphox both hit their marks, but the Pokémon had absolutely no scratches on them, despite hitting with unimaginable strength. The strength of the hits seemed like child's play when compared to the defensive abilities of Elsa's Pokémon. Lapras just seemed to laugh it off (well as much as a Lapras could laugh). Froslass was even stronger, seeing as how she was holding Delphox's Shadow Ball in her hands.

"Lapras, slow them down with an Icy Wind. Froslass, Hail!" Elsa commanded. Froslass cried out, summoning a storm cloud which began to drop ping pong ball-sized hail stones. Those stones allowed Froslass to utilize her Snow Cloak ability as well as allowing Lapras to start using his Ice Body ability. Lapras gathered a ball of ice energy before launching a swirling cone of ice at Infernape and Delphox.

"Delphox, use Psychic!" Rachel commanded. "Send that Icy Wind right back!" Delphox's eyes and hands began to glow blue with psychic power. She tried to grip the ice flurry, but to no avail. The wind was simply too strong and fast for it to be manipulated by the psychic fox. Both Infernape and Delphox were hit by the frigid cyclone, clearly slowing down from the incredibly low temperatures.

That wouldn't be a problem for Infernape, since he was still clearly faster than the others, but Delphox was in trouble speed-wise. She wasn't a fast Pokémon to begin with, but now she was even slower than before. There was little chance for this to end well if Delphox was unable to move at her highest speeds. Although she was skilled at defense, Delphox still needed to be able to dodge the attacks that would be coming at her in this battle.

"Infernape, hit Froslass with Flare Blitz!" Ash called out. Infernape cloaked himself in blue fire before leaping toward the ghostly ice wraith. The hail was having no effect on the fire ape as he rocketed through it. Froslass saw Infernape coming and decided to use her Snow Cloak ability to vanish and reappear elsewhere on the field. That, however, would prove to be fruitless. Unbeknownst to Froslass and Elsa, Ash had trained his Pokémon to handle a Froslass in hail after their last battle with Paul. Infernape had curved around toward where Froslass had materialized, and the ghost type had no chance to dodge the attack. Unfortunately, that didn't really seem to matter to her. While she was weak to the fire-type attack, it barely seemed to mark her at all. In fact, it seemed that she had almost gained health. This Pokémon, which wasn't known for being sturdy, had just taken one of the strongest fire-type attacks and barely taken a scratch. This was not going to be an easy battle by any stretch of the imagination.

"Alright Lapras, use Surf and Froslass, hit that surf with Blizzard. Turn it into an ice wave!" Elsa commanded. Lapras summoned a pillar of water underneath her, crashing down on top of it and sending a massive wave across the field. Froslass shot out a massive cone of ice and snow at the wave, causing it to turn into a wave of ice spears.

"Infernape/Delphox dodge and use Flamethrower!" Ash and Rachel called out simultaneously. Infernape leapt into the air above the wave, but Delphox couldn't jump nearly as high. Luckily, she was able to keep herself above the wave using Psychic. Both fire types then shot a stream of fire at the massive wave of ice. Those flamethrowers melted a path through the ice, smoothing out their footing. They both landed lightly, ready to battle more.

"Now, use Close Combat on Lapras!" Ash called out. Infernape sprinted in close to Lapras and began to punch, kick, and flip around Lapras, hitting the transport Pokémon hard.

"Delphox, use Mystical Fire on Froslass!" Rachel said. Delphox formed a circle of fire before launching a jet of more fire at the ice wraith. It was a powerful shot, and it landed hard, engulfing Froslass in flames.

Both ice-types could be heard loudly protesting the attacks that were bombarding them, but they knew Elsa would not let them take more than they could handle. "Froslass, use Shadow Ball; Lapras, use Hydro Pump!" Elsa commanded. Suddenly, a pillar of water shot out from Lapras, sending Infernape flying across the field. Then Delphox's Mystical Fire parted and gave way to a massive Shadow Ball, which slammed into the mystic fox with incredible force.

"Well, if that is all you've got, then Dovah must be slacking off in his training," Elsa said as Infernape and Delphox both struggled to stand up. "If you want to beat me, you must battle at a far higher level of skill than this. There is a good reason why this is considered the most powerful gym in the world, and that is because my Pokémon are higher than those of any other League's Champion aside from the American League's. Now, step up your game or you will surely lose this match!" That was when Ash and Rachel noticed that both Lapras and Froslass had only a few scratches between them, but they were breathing heavily. While this round would not last much longer, Ash knew that the battle was only just beginning, and it would only likely get harder from here.

Ash just smiled as his resolve hardened once again. "Rachel, let's not disappoint Elsa," Ash said with a wink. "After all, we want this last badge, don't we?"

Rachel was shocked at Ash's lack of fear. Then she remembered just how Ash always battled. The greater the challenge, the harder he and his Pokémon battled to win. She hardened her own resolve and smiled back. "Of course Ash, now let's do this and earn our final badge!" she said right back.


	28. Elsa's Frozen Challenge Part 2

_Elsa's Frozen Challenge Pt. 2_

Infernape and Delphox were able to stand up, but the two were trembling as they did so. This would be the last bout that the duo had with the impressive ice-types they were facing. Not only were Froslass and Lapras strong, they were Elsa's first Pokémon, and most gym leaders saved their strongest Pokémon for the last battle. That simply meant that the battle had only just started to show its ferocity.

"Infernape, use Mach Punch on Lapras, then use Close Combat to finish her off!" Ash commanded. Infernape's hands once again began to light up with energy. Infernape charged and vanished, reappearing right behind Lapras and crashing his fists into the back of Lapras's head. The sea Pokémon cried out in protest at the sudden impact, and she seemed to be shakier than before. That was when Infernape continued his relentless assault on Lapras, who seemed to be on the verge of collapsing at any moment. When Infernape flipped away from Lapras, she had fainted, unable to take any more damage. Elsa recalled Lapras.

"Great job Lapras, you fought bravely, now get some rest," she said. "Now let's go Weavile!" Elsa's next Pokémon was a menacing Weavile, and he seemed strong indeed. "Now, use Night Slash on Delphox while Froslass uses Shadow Ball as well!" Froslass threw another massive ball of ink-black energy while Weavile sprinted toward Delphox with his claws glowing a sinister violet color.

Delphox was about to get double teamed, and Rachel had no defensive strategies for warding off two attacks at once. Luckily, Ash stepped in. "Infernape, hit Weavile with Mach Punch, throw him off target!" Infernape leapt mightily across the field on a collision course with the dark creature. By the time Weavile noticed Infernape's speed, it was too late. He was hit by the fire monkey's fist and thrown into a tumbling roll across the field. No matter how hard Weavile was trained, he would always be a light Pokémon and thus he'd be easy to hit across a field. Now Delphox was able to defend itself.

"Delphox, Fire Blast!" Rachel commanded. Delphox fired off a ball of flames that swirled out to form the star-shaped attack before it hit the Shadow Ball, causing an explosion, canceling out both attacks.

"Now, Infernape, use Flamethrower on Froslass!" Ash commanded. Infernape launched a jet of flames at the ice wraith, and she had no time to dodge. Froslass was engulfed by the flames. Soon, Froslass dropped from the flames, and she was unconscious. As Elsa recalled her Pokémon, Rachel took the initiative to strike at a wide-open Weavile.

"Delphox, Focus Blast on Weavile!" Rachel commanded. Delphox gathered a large ball of yellow energy before throwing it at the dark ice weasel.

"Dodge it Weavile!" Elsa commanded. Weavile leapt high into the air just before the Focus Blast struck. That, however, was exactly what Rachel had hoped for, and Ash knew what she hoped to happen. It also helped that he could read her aura perfectly now.

"Infernape, use Mach Punch and send Weavile into the ground!" Ash commanded. Infernape vanished and reappeared behind and above Weavile, his fists glowing white before he pummeled Weavile, sending the ice-type flying into the ground. Weavile cried out as it crashed hard, making a crater in the battlefield. When the icy dust settled it was clear that Weavile had been defeated. Elsa recalled Weavile and told him to get a good rest. That was when Ash and Rachel both noticed that Elsa was wearing a confident smirk.

"You two fight well together, almost like you can read each other's mind. That, however, will not be anywhere near enough to win this battle," she said. "Now, I choose Avalugg and Articuno!" Ash's eyes widened. It wasn't so much that he was facing Avalugg, since he had beaten plenty in the Kalos League, but Articuno was another story. He had only ever faced one in the Battle Frontier, and he had just barely beaten that one with Charizard. This was not going to be easy.

"Infernape, use Flamethrower on Avalugg!" Ash called out. Infernape took a deep breath, preparing to hit Avalugg with a jet of fire, but it was not going to happen.

"Articuno, Mind Reader!" Elsa called out. "Avalugg, use Protect." Infernape fired the stream of flames only to have it break around Avalugg's green barrier. Articuno gained a gleam in her eyes. That was when Elsa gave a devastating command. "Articuno, use Sheer Cold on Infernape!"

Articuno gathered a sphere of incredibly intense ice and cold winds before letting it fire off. The sphere flew toward Infernape at incredible speeds. As much as Ash wanted to give a command to dodge, he knew that Mind Reader made it so the attack would always hit no matter what. "Infernape, I'm so sorry," Ash said quietly. Infernape looked back at his trainer, a forgiving, yet confident gleam in his eyes, as if to say "I understand, just win this battle for me." Ash nodded to his Pokémon. Just after that, Infernape took the attack, which exploded into a vicious flurry of ice and snow. When it settled, Infernape was frozen entirely, with the exception of the top of his head, since he had his crown of fire. "Infernape, return," Ash said as he called Infernape to his Pokéball. Ash already knew who his next Pokémon was going to be. "I choose you, Metagross!" Ash called out as he sent out the mechanized Pokémon.

Now it was Delphox and Metagross against Avalugg and Articuno, while Ash knew that he could strategize with Rachel while using his aura, he wasn't sure if that would be enough. Now it was time for them to find out just how well they could battle against a legend.

"Delphox, Mystical Fire on Avalugg!" Rachel commanded. "We don't need to be worrying about him while we take on Articuno." Delphox formed the ring of fire before launching the stream of flames at the heavy ice Pokémon. The flames struck hard and caused the Pokémon to cry out in pain.

Ash noticed something about Elsa when Rachel said that. She was smirking again, almost as if she wanted Avalugg to be the target. He decided to take matters into his own hands. "Metagross, use Meteor Mash on Articuno! Don't leave that bird out of the fun!" he said with a grin. Metagross leapt into the air, his legs glowing brightly as he leapt toward the ice bird. Metagross swung hard, but Articuno would have none of it. The bird twirled away gracefully as the attack flew past her. Articuno just glared at Metagross, as if to tell it that she was going to mess him up for that. That was when Avalugg came free of the fire, and he was out of the battle. Elsa continued to smirk with confidence as she recalled the Iceberg Pokémon.

"Now, let's go, Regice! Let's carry out your original trainer's legacy!" Elsa called out as she sent out the ice golem. Ash was surprised that Elsa had two legendary Pokémon, but he was a bit confused by what Elsa just said.

"Elsa, what do you mean about Regice's original trainer?" Ash asked.

"It's simple, Ash. Regice used to belong to my grandfather, Cryo. He was an incredible trainer, and he taught me all that I know about Pokémon battling. He is far more powerful than any Regice in the entire world. Now, no more small talk, let's get back to battling. "Articuno, use Blizzard. Regice, use Superpower on Metagross!"

Ash smirked. He knew what was coming, it was an incredibly powerful fighting attack that would do a great deal of damage, but it would also result in lowered attack and defense for Regice, but it would likely be severely damaging to Metagross So, Ash decided to stop the attack from happening altogether. "Metagross, use Psychic on Regice!"

"Delphox, you use Psychic on Articuno and don't let her use Blizzard!" Suddenly, both Articuno and Regice were surrounded by a blue aura, stopping them in their tracks. Then Articuno was slammed into the ground, while Regice was thrown across the field.

"Now, Flash Cannon on Articuno!" Ash commanded Metagross. Metagross fired off a large jet of metallic light shot at the ice bird. Articuno had just gotten to her feet when the blast slammed into her.

"Delphox, Flamethrower on Regice!" Rachel called out. Delphox launched a stream of fire at the ice golem, hitting Regice hard with the fire, causing it to cry out in pain from the attack caused. That, however, still was not the end of it.

"Regice, use Water Pulse on Delphox. Articuno, use Mind Reader on Metagross!" Elsa commanded. Ash was scared again. Now Elsa was going to try to knock out his Metagross with the same strategy she used against Infernape earlier.

"Metagross, Meteor Mash on Articuno again, but this time hold her in place with Psychic!" Ash commanded. Metagross's eyes began to glow blue with a psychic aura, and Articuno was gripped tightly by the same psychic aura. That was when Metagross flew toward Articuno with glowing legs extended toward the bird. Within a few seconds, Metagross's clawed legs slammed into Articuno hard. The bird flew across the field and slammed into the wall, slumping over from the impact. While that normally would have been the end of the fight for most Pokémon, this was a legendary Pokémon, and she was not to be trifled with. The bird struggled to her feet, but she still had a fire in her eyes.

That was when an orb of water flew across the field, pushing through Delphox's fire, and it was moving too fast to be dodged. Delphox was engulfed by water as the orb erupted over her as it slammed into her. Delphox tumbled across the ground, skidding to a stop. She tried to get up, but her arms gave out under her and she fainted. Rachel called back her first Pokémon. "Great job Delphox, you fought hard, and you've earned a long rest. Now, I choose you, Manectric!" Rachel called out as she released her electric wolf-like Pokémon. He was one of her fastest Pokémon. "Now, Manectric, use Thunderbolt on Articuno!" she called out. Manectric began to glow with an electrical charge before he launched a stream of electricity at the legendary bird. The electricity hit its mark, but Articuno merely grimaced at the shocking attack.

"Metagross, use Flash Cannon on Regice!" Ash called. Metagross once again launched a metallic stream at the ice golem, and it slammed into the Pokémon with great force.

"Regice, use Ice Beam, drive back that Flash Cannon!" Elsa called out. With that, three tendrils of ice energy shot out and pressed Flash Cannon back to about the middle of the field before the attacks exploded together, creating a cloud of smoke.

"Metagross, use Gyro Ball!" Ash commanded. Suddenly the cloud parted and gave way to Metagross spinning with a metallic ring around him. In no time at all, Metagross slammed into Regice, sending the golem skidding across the field. Regice just readjusted himself to stand up straight, barely a scratch could be seen on Regice at all. This was going to be trouble.

"Manectric, use Fire Fang on Regice!" Rachel called. Manectric's mouth lit up with flames. Then the lightning hound vanished before reappearing beside Regice and biting down on the creature's main body. Regice cried out as a pillar of flames erupted around him.

"Articuno, use Blizzard!" Elsa commanded. Articuno did not hesitate, flapping her wings to generate powerful icy winds and snow. This attack blew across the field, piling snow on both Metagross and Manectric. Metagross didn't seem too injured from the vicious flurry, but Manectric was clearly freezing, and taking a toll on the electric hound. Luckily it didn't take too long for the attack to finish, and Manectric managed to withstand the entirety of the attack.

"Great job Manectric, now, hit Articuno with Thunder!" Rachel called out. Manectric began to glow with electrical energy before discharging the massive stream at Articuno. The attack struck hard, giving the bird no time to dodge. Elsa now had a look of fear on her face, almost as if she knew that Articuno would not withstand this attack.

"Metagross, hit Regice with Meteor Mash!" Ash called out. Metagross, who was less than a meter from Regice, swung his front legs at the ice golem, slamming it into Regice hard with the speed of a rifle shot. Regice went flying across the field, slamming into the back wall of the gym. At the same time, Articuno dropped to the ground. When the dust settled, it was clear that it was a double knock-out. Elsa simply sighed. This battle was over. With that, Pikachu leapt into the air, shouting out his name ecstatically at the eighth and final Gym victory in the American League.

"Return Articuno and Regice, you both battled hard and you've earned a long rest," she said. When Articuno and Regice were both back into their Pokéballs, Elsa went over to the wall of the gym, where she touched a small button, which opened an almost invisible drawer, which was full of gym badges that looked simply like snowflakes. She pulled out two badges, before closing the drawer again. Elsa then approached Ash and Rachel, and she held out the badges. "Congratulations Rachel and Ash. That was a great battle, your skill has earned you both the Gelid Badge," she said with a smile.

Ash and Rachel both took their badges and they thanked Elsa for the battle. With that they departed the gym, heading to the Pokémon Center to heal their Pokémon.

Upon arrival, Nurse Joy said something that no nurse had said during their entire journey through the American Region so far. "By the way, Ash, you have a phone call from Cerulean City," she said.

Ash was stunned. There was only one person that would be calling him from Cerulean City, and that was Misty. Something important must have come up back in Kanto. "Thanks Nurse Joy; Rachel, care to join me?" Ash said.

Rachel smiled. "Sure, it was nice to meet Brock in Char City, so I can't wait to meet more of your friends." With that, Ash and Rachel walked toward the video phones, sat at one of them and Ash answered the call, which Nurse Joy forwarded to their phone. That was when not just one, but eleven familiar faces appeared. On the screen were Gary, Misty, Tracey, May, Max, Dawn, Iris, Cilan, Clemont, Bonnie, and Serena.

"HEY ASH!" they all said at once, except Gary, who used his ever-present 'Ashy-boy.'

Pikachu looked extremely excited to see so many old friends. "PIKACHU!" he exclaimed happily.

"Woah, what is everybody doing in Cerulean City?!" Ash said with some shock.

"Wait, 'Ashy-boy?'" Rachel said with a laugh as she came onto the screen for the first time. "Why haven't I ever heard that nickname for you, Ash?" Ash winced.

"Well thanks a lot Gary, now she's going to call me Ashy-boy," Ash said.

Gary just laughed slightly, "Well it's good to know that this girl, whom you haven't even introduced us to," he said.

"Well, everybody, this is Rachel. She's my girlfriend," Ash said, earning stunned looks and cries of surprise from every single one of his friends, although it also got a slightly upset look from Serena.

"Wait, did I hear you right just now?" Misty asked, in utter disbelief. "Ash Ketchum, the eternally dense, hyperactive kid has a girlfriend?"

"Yes he does," Rachel said, sitting on Ash's lap, wrapping her arm around the back of his neck, and leaning so they could both be seen. "And he's told me about all of you," she said with a smile.

"Well, tell us about yourself Rachel, we want to get to know you better," Serena said.

Rachel thought for a second. "Well, there's a lot I could tell you, but I have a better idea. Ash just collected his eighth badge for the American League, so he will be battling our Elite Four shortly. Why don't you all come out to my home in Bath Town where we'll meet up and help Ash prepare?" All of them looked shocked, then pleased.

"That sounds like a recipe for a flavorful friendship," Cilan said, using his all-too-common cooking references. Ash just noticed that everybody but Iris just rolled their eyes at Cilan's comment.

"Well, I suppose I can leave the gym for a few days," Misty said. "And it would be great to battle Ash again, so yeah, I'll come." After that, it seemed that everybody wanted to visit, even if only to have a friendly battle with Ash, as well as meeting Rachel.

"Oh by the way," Rachel said. "Before you arrive, you should know that my dad will probably critique your battling skills."

"Who is your dad?" May asked.

"His name is Jordan Moul," Rachel responded, earning a mixture of startled looks and confusion. Gary was the most surprised out of the entire group.

"You don't mean THE Jordan Moul, as in the retired trainer who conquered every Pokémon League, and joined the League of Legendary Trainers, do you?" Gary asked.

"Yes, that's him, and my mom, Sarah, is one of the greatest breeders in the world. She will probably be critical of how healthy your Pokémon are," Rachel said with a slight laugh. "So just be ready for some training of your own."

Misty spoke up then. "Well, it sounds like a lot of fun, and it will be great to get to know the one who is making Ash so happy. We will get our plane tickets and get to Bath Town in one week's time," she said. "See you soon, and Rachel, realize that we will be asking you as many questions as possible until we know you as well as Ash does! Goodnight to you both!" With that Misty hung up, leaving the happy couple to their fun.

"Well, I didn't expect to have all my friends here for my Elite Four battles, but I wouldn't have it any other way," Ash said. "Thank you for asking them to visit."

Rachel just kissed him tenderly. When she broke the contact, she just smiled at Ash. "I know how much they mean to you, and I knew you'd want to have all the support you could get for your battle. Now, let's go to our room and get some sleep before we head back to Bath Town."

Ash smiled back. "Of course babe, let's go," he said as he picked up Rachel bridal style, with Pikachu riding on his shoulder. Rachel yelped and began to giggle, sounding almost giddy. Nurse Joy looked up briefly to see what the commotion was, but once she saw what was causing it, she merely giggled to herself at the sight of young love. Soon, Ash and Rachel made it to their room, and Rachel's laughs were muffled. After half an hour, the laughs died down and the Pokémon Center fell into silence as Ash and Rachel fell asleep in each other's arms. It was the perfect end to a perfect day.


	29. Battles Among Friends

**Hello all, I hope you have been enjoying this story so far. I have decided that I will be writing a story about Brendan and May traveling through Hoenn next. Let me know what you think of this idea in the reviews, after you enjoy this next chapter, of course.**

_Battles Among Friends_

It had been a little less than a week since Ash and Rachel left Igland City, their gym badges securely in their badge cases as they made their way over the last hill before arriving in Bath Town. Ash was excited to see his old friends, and he knew it was going to be a great few weeks of training and battling to prepare for the American League Elite Four, and eventually Ross, who had beaten him pretty handily the last time they battled.

Just as they were about to come to the top of the hill, Rachel began to sprint, cresting the hill just to stop and look out at her home. It had been over a year since she had left with Ash on this journey, and in that time, she had grown more mature, and she had learned more about herself than she could have ever hoped. Not to mention the fact that she had found an amazing boyfriend on her travels. "Well, Mom, Dad, I am finally coming home," she whispered to herself. Ash heard her, however, and just smiled before coming up and hugging Rachel from behind and kissed her cheek.

"Hey look up," Ash said pointing to a plane flying low overhead. It was coming in for a landing at the Bath airport, and it had the markings of Kanto Airlines on the side. "I have a feeling that my friends will be arriving shortly."

"I think you're right, let's go get them at the airport!" Rachel said. Ash nodded and his smile grew wider. With that both trainers and Pikachu began their trek to where Ash had originally arrived in the American League. After an hour, the three stood at the baggage claim carousel, waiting for Ash's friends to arrive. Luckily, they didn't need to wait long.

"ASH! HEEEEEEEEY!" called out five voices that Ash could recognize in any crowd. He turned around to see Misty, May, Dawn, Bonnie, and Serena all running over to them, while the guys and Iris walked more calmly toward him and Rachel. It wasn't long before Ash was pulled into five hugs at once, which left Rachel laughing at his expense. That is, until the girls grabbed her and pulled her into their hug.

"Hey I missed all of you too, but I can't breathe!" Ash said. That got the girls to let go just as the rest of the guys arrived.

"Hey Ash!" Brock said pulling Ash into a brotherly hug. "Great to see you man!"

"Yeah, it's good to see you Ashy-boy!" Gary said. Rachel just laughed at the name, knowing she was going to use that nickname herself.

"Hey, let's get to my house before you all catch up!" Rachel said with a smile. The group agreed wholeheartedly.

As they walked toward the Moul Breeding Shop, the girls pulled Rachel aside and began to ask her about herself, and Arceus were there a lot of questions. They ranged from her Pokémon team, to what beauty products she used, to stories about herself. Iris even joined in with the questioning while the guys began to catch up. All the while, Ash and the guys talked about Ash's travels and about what had happened during the past year. It seemed that Brock had finished Poke-med school. Gary had been officially named a Pokémon Professor and he was still operating in Sinnoh with Professor Rowan. Clemont had only lost to one challenger all year at his gym. Tracey was still Professor Oak's assistant, but he was now also president of the Pokémon Watcher clubs (which is apparently a thing). Cilan had become an S-Class Pokémon connoisseur and a world-class chef. All the while, they had all improved their battling skills a great deal.

For the girls, Misty had become the only leader of the Cerulean City Gym, with her sisters going on tour for their water ballet performance. May and Dawn were now rivals in the contest circuit, and both were considered to be two of the greatest coordinators in the world. Iris had become the gym leader of the Opelucid Gym, and her Axew was finally a Haxorous. Bonnie was just about old enough to start her journey with Dedenne as her starter. Finally, Serena had finally become Kalos Queen in the Pokémon Showcase.

It took less than half an hour to get to the shop. Rachel broke away from the group for a moment. "Welcome, everybody, to the Moul family's Breeding Shop," she said as she opened the door to her house. "Mom, Dad! I'm home and I brought some friends with me!" she called out.

The sliding door opened from the back and both Jordan and Sarah came inside. "Well hello sweetheart, I was wondering when you would be getting home," Jordan said to Rachel. "And it's great to see you too Ash. I hope you two had a good time traveling the American League, because now the real trials begin," he said with a laugh.

"It's great to see you again Mr. and Mrs. Moul," Ash said, shaking hands with Jordan and then Sarah.

"Now, are you guys going to give us some introductions to the eleven people who are joining you two," Sarah said with a welcoming smile.

"I'll do the honors since you guys are all my friends," Ash said. "This is Clemont, Bonnie, Serena, Tracey, Misty, May, Dawn, Brock, Gary, Cilan, and Iris. They all traveled with me, except Gary who is my childhood friend and rival. They came out to cheer me on against the Elite Four."

"Well, it's nice to meet all of you, but I am wondering why they won't be cheering for Rachel as well," Jordan said, looking at his daughter, an eyebrow raised.

Rachel sighed. "Dad, I've decided to become a breeder like Mom. It's not that I don't like battling, but I love raising my Pokémon to be their best even more," she said. Jordan just smiled.

"There's no need to explain yourself to me, Rachel. Going on a Pokémon journey is meant to help you learn who you really are and what you want to do. Besides, no matter what you choose to do, you will always be my little girl," he said, hugging Rachel close.

"Now, what do you all say to coming to the back and having some lunch and some Pokémon battles for some exercise?" Jordan said.

"Hey, that sounds great!" Brock said. "If you need any help in the kitchen I'd be glad to help make lunch!" Brock said.

"And so would I," Cilan said. "I actually have a recipe that I've wanted to try out for a while now, and this seems like a perfect opportunity."

"I would love some help with lunch, how are your cooking skills?" Sarah asked.

"Oh trust me Mrs. Moul, Brock and Cilan are two of the best chefs I've ever met," Ash said. "You will not be disappointed with their help."

"Alright then, Cilan and Brock, come with me and we will get lunch ready," Sarah said, leading them to the kitchen.

That was when Jordan smiled. "Then it's time for some Pokémon battles for the rest of us. I will be the referee for all the battles," he said. "Now, follow me out back. We have a lot of land that is perfect for battling and for raising Pokémon."

Ash had never seen the range behind the shop except from a great distance, but the plot of land stretching in front of him was clearly massive. The range dwarfed even Professor Oak's laboratory, and it had even more Pokémon. There must have been at least one Pokémon of every kind, except for most legendary Pokémon (there was a Raikou from Jordan's team nearby, who was sunning himself happily).

"Oh my Arceus!" Serena gasped. "This is amazing."

"This must be the greatest breeding shop in the world. Who owns all those Pokémon?" Gary asked.

"They all belong to me or Sarah," Jordan said. "Well, a vast majority are mine. There are a Meganium, Dragonite, Gardevoir, and a Ninetales who belong to Sarah and a few of Rachel's Pokémon that she couldn't carry with her. Other than that, the rest are mine, and the six Pokémon I used most while I was a trainer are scattered around the range, except Raikou here." Jordan walked over and began to pet his Pokémon, who nuzzled the trainer's hand affectionately. "He prefers to stay near the house and keep watch over everything."

"Now, who wants to battle first?" Jordan said as he pulled a remote from his pocket and pressed a button. That was when a large portion of the grass parted and opened to reveal a full-size, regulation Pokémon League battlefield. It was perfectly kept and it even had a good seating area for spectators. It was the nicest battlefield Ash had seen outside of official Pokémon League tournament fields.

"I guess I will," Ash said.

"Then why don't I test you and see just how strong you are," Misty said. "I want to see just how strong you've become Ash." Ash smirked at the comment.

"Let's do this," Ash said, taking a place in one of the boxes. Misty took the other one.

"These battles will all be one-on-one," Jordan said. "Both sides send out your Pokémon!"

"Pikachu, let's go buddy!" Ash said.

"Well then, I choose you, Gyarados!" Misty called as she sent out the massive sea serpent, who roared loudly. Jordan raised an eyebrow at the sight of Gyarados. It was an impressive beast to say the least, but Jordan knew of plenty Gyarados who were strong, but this one just seemed different.

"Begin the battle!" Jordan called out.

"Pikachu, use Thunderbolt to start us off!" Ash commanded. Pikachu leapt into the air, shrouded in electricity, and fired a gigantic bolt of lightning at Gyarados.

"Gyarados, use Flamethrower to counter!" Misty commanded. Gyarados launched a stream of fire toward Pikachu's stream of lightning. The two attacks collided, but it didn't take long for Pikachu's attack to begin pushing back Gyarados's attack. Misty was surprised at how strong Pikachu had become since she saw him battling Diantha's Gardevoir during Ash's official battle with her. She wasn't the only one who was surprised. Everybody who saw Pikachu's attack strength other than Rachel and Jordan were in awe.

Jordan was smiling and laughing. "That is what the American League does to trainers and their Pokémon," he said to himself. "The strength is always increased dramatically for those who are from different regions."

"How did Pikachu get so strong?" May asked. "He went from barbequing bikes to out-matching a Gyarados like it was nothing."

"Well, Ash and Pikachu did battle a Kyurem a little over a week ago," Rachel said. "It was close, but they managed to defeat Kyurem."

Iris went wide-eyed. "Ash and Pikachu beat the most powerful dragon-type in the world?" she asked, clearly worried about battling Ash this week.

"Yeah, and Kyurem was fighting at full strength too. Dad, he said that you captured him while you traveled, but you released him immediately," Ash said. "Is that true?"

"So, that Kyurem is still hanging around in that cave, is he? Well, it is true, since I was aiming to catch every Pokémon I decided to catch legendaries other than Ho-oh and Raikou, who were both on my team at the time," Jordan said. "But I always released them immediately, because their power was made to keep nature in balance."

As he said that, Gyarados was struck by Thunderbolt, crying out as it was hit with the super effective attack. That should have been the end of the battle, but it wasn't quite over, Gyarados managed to stay conscious.

"Great job Gyarados! Now use Flail!" Misty said, but, when she saw that Ash had no reaction at all to the potentially devastating attack she called, she grew concerned. Just how strong had Ash become? Gyarados began to whip his body around, slamming himself into the ground repeatedly.

"Pikachu, start by using Agility, then Double Team, and then Volt Tackle to finish it off!" he called out. Pikachu began to sprint in circles, increasing his speed with every lap. Soon, there were three rings of Pikachus, all identical, but only one was the real one, and Gyarados wasn't too focused on his aim for this attack. Then, all of the Pikachu clones became shrouded in electricity until there seemed to be three rings of electricity surrounding Gyarados. Then, the rings stopped and the clones all vanished as Pikachu planted his feet and launched himself toward Gyarados's side. That was when Pikachu slammed into the side of Gyarados's head, sending him sprawling.

"Gyarados is unable to battle, Pikachu is the winner!" Jordan called out. "Now, who wants to battle next?"

"I'm up!" Rachel said.

"And I want to battle you, Rachel," Serena said as she stood up. "We can't have Ash dating a weak battler, and this is the best way to see how strong you are."

Ash and Misty recalled their Pokémon, Pikachu climbing back onto Ash's shoulder, seeming to barely be shaken from the battle. They then left the field, letting Rachel and Serena take the field. "Hey, Serena, you have a Delphox, right?" Rachel called out.

"Yeah, of course," Serena said.

"Well then, let's have a Delphox battle," Rachel said, throwing out her Delphox's Pokéball out, sending out her starter Pokémon. Serena looked surprised to see the powerful Delphox in front of her. This Delphox seemed to have the complete opposite personality as her own Delphox. Instead of trying to look beautiful, she looked quite powerful and even had a little bit of dirt on her fur.

"Sounds like fun. Let's go Delphox!" Serena called out as she released her own Delphox, who had a shining coat for the performances she routinely participated in, and she even entered with a charming twirl.

"Begin the battle!" Jordan called out.

Rachel started things off. "Delphox, use Mystical Fire!" she called out. Delphox formed a circle of flames with her wand before firing a stream of fire at Serena's Delphox.

"Delphox, dodge and counter with Hidden Power!" Serena called. Serena's Delphox leapt over the incoming flames like she was dancing in a performance, gathering a sphere of power in her palms before firing a beam at Rachel's Delphox.

"Delphox, use Psychic and send that Hidden Power right back!" Rachel called out. Delphox smirked as her eyes began to glow blue, then the incoming Hidden Power attack was redirected, flying back at Serena's Delphox. This time, however, it had twice the speed and power. The attack slammed into Delphox without even a slight chance to dodge.

When the smoke cleared, Serena's Delphox was shaken deeply. Serena would not let that stand. "Delphox, use Shadow Ball!" Serena said. Her Delphox began to gather ink black energy into a ball before throwing it at Rachel's Delphox.

"Delphox, dodge it and use your own Shadow Ball!" Rachel called out. Delphox leapt to the side, rolling away from the attack before throwing a Shadow Ball at Serena's Delphox. The attack landed perfectly and with a great deal of force. This time, Serena's Delphox was out of the fight.

"Serena's Delphox is unable to battle, Rachel's Delphox is the winner!" Jordan called out. Serena sighed.

"I guess that's the difference between a Delphox trained for battles and one trained for performances," Serena sighed. "You fought bravely Delphox, now return."

"Great battling Delphox, now return," Rachel said with a smile.

After that, the battles were actually pretty close, other than those that Ash or Rachel participated in. Now was the final match-up: Ash against Rachel.

"Well Ash, let's see how far I have come since we started traveling together. Are you ready?" Rachel asked.

"You have to ask?" Ash said with a grin. Rachel just rolled her eyes and groaned.

"You know I am going to start getting sick of your jokes," she said.

"I doubt that, now come on. Let's battle!" Ash said as he took his position.

"Alright, let's go Sylveon!" Rachel called out as her blue Sylveon appeared, ready for battle.

Ash thought for a moment before selecting the Pokémon he had captured at the same time Rachel captured Sylveon. "I choose you, Latias!" Misty's eyes went wide. She recognized this Latias, it was the one from Altomare. How and when did Ash catch her?

That was when Latias's eyes began to glow blue without Ash saying a word, looking like Calm Mind. Once her eyes stopped glowing, she formed a ball of fog in front of her before she fired it off. The Mist Ball attack was fast, too fast for a normal Mist Ball, although it was a rare attack to see in the first place. "Sylveon, use Protect, and then Moonblast!" Rachel called out.

A green shield formed around Sylveon just in time to stop Mist Ball. Then she fired a pink sphere of lunar energy at Latias. That, however, was not about to touch Latias, let alone defeat her.

Latias did a barrel-roll, dodging Moonblast and making it look almost fun. Then she gathered energy in her mouth that looked like a Hyper Beam. "Fire," Ash called out. With that, Latias fired a powerful Hyper Beam.

"Sylveon, dodge and use Dazzling Gleam!" Rachel said. Sylveon leapt to the side as the purple beam of energy flew past her. Then her ribbons began to glow brilliantly, emitting a blinding white light. Latias responded, without Ash having to say a word, by using a Protect of her own. Once the light disappeared, Latias dropped her shield and her wings began to glow like steel. Rachel's eyes went wide, it was Steel Wing, and it would be devastating if it hit. She didn't have a chance to think her response over, as Latias shot at Sylveon like a bullet.

"Sylveon, use Fairy Wind!" Rachel called out. Sylveon's ribbons began to spin like propellers and blowing two tornados of sparkling energy toward Latias. Latias, once again, rolled away from the attack before looping around and slamming her wing into Sylveon's side, sending the fairy-type sprawling. Then Latias's eyes began to glow blue once more, only this time, Sylveon was gripped by psychic energy before she was lifted into the air and thrown back to the ground. That was the end of the battle.

"Sylveon is unable to battle, Latias is the winner!" Jordan said. And the last match ended just in time, because just as the winner was called Sarah came outside. "Alright, lunch is ready, come on and eat!" Ash and Rachel recalled their Pokémon, and then joined the rest of the group at the table on the patio. Ash was smiling about that last battle. He and Latias were forging an incredibly strong bond, one that may even allow for Mega Evolution should he find the stone necessary. That, however, didn't matter at the moment. It was time to enjoy the combination of Cilan's and Brock's cooking, and that was not something to pass up.

**Thank you all for sticking with this story so long. As always, constructive reviews are welcome, so let me know what you honestly think of this chapter. Also, let me know which Pokémon you want Ash to use against the Elite Four.**


	30. The Road to Victory

**Hello again everybody, there are only seven chapters left in Ash Goes American. These last few chapters will be the trip through the American League Victory Road, then the Elite Four, then his battle against Ross. Last will be his battle with Jordan. Enjoy this chapter, and remember that reviews are always welcome. Lastly, a heads up, there is a twist in this chapter.**

_The Road to Victory_

It had been about a week since Ash and Rachel returned to Bath Town, and Ash had spent that time training and preparing for the Pokémon League. He had decided on the team that he would be using for his hardest test yet. Pikachu, Charizard, Latias, Sceptile, Greninja, and Garchomp would be joining him in his most difficult endeavor yet. These would give him the most balanced team possible to face the Elite Four. He watched the every battle that the greatest trainers in the world when they went through the Elite Fours of each region except for the American League. As much as Ash wanted to see the American League battles, he restrained himself, knowing that it would give him an unfair advantage in his battles.

Now Ash was preparing himself for the trip through Victory Road, it was the day before he was going to depart for Columbia Town, home of the American League Elite Four. He sat at the patio table with his friends seated around the table with him, and all of them except for Rachel were shocked at what Ash had just said. It was so unlike him, yet exactly like him at the same time. He had requested that he take Victory Road alone, so he could take the test on his own, without help from his friends.

"Ash, are you sure about this?" Serena asked. "You've always asked for help you're your friends when you faced a tough obstacle."

"I know Serena," Ash said with a sigh. "But I think that was part of the reason I was unable to defeat Diantha. While I would gladly accept your help normally, this is one test that all trainers who intend to give the Elite Four a serious challenge must complete, alone."

Brock nodded in understanding. "While I may not like letting you face that level of danger alone, I know that you're right Ash," he said. "We will, however, at least stay with you until we get to the entrance to Victory Road."

"Of course," Ash said. "I wouldn't have it any other way."

"Well Ash, even though I wanted to stay with you through Victory Road, I understand your reasoning," Rachel said.

"Rachel, thank you for being alright with this," Ash said.

"It's not a problem, after all, Victory Road is the final test before a trainer can truly be ready for the Elite Four," Rachel said.

That was when Raikou unexpectedly roared loudly from the large pond on the ranch. Jordan beamed at his Pokémon from the doorway; it seemed that Raikou knew what was coming not long after Ash finished battling the Elite Four. He would get to test the abilities of the newest Chosen One of Arceus.

The next morning, everybody except Jordan and Sarah was ready to depart for Victory Road. While the journey through the American Region had begun by heading to the west, this time, they headed out to the east. That path leads toward Victory Road and Columbia Town. It was now time for Ash to take the road east. With Pikachu on his shoulder and all of the friends he had ever travelled with were there with him as they departed Bath Town. Bonnie was really excited to see Ash battle the Elite Four, and win this time, so she was running ahead with Dedenne. Dawn, May, and Serena were discussing the ways they could make their Pokémon look their best for performances. Brock was discussing his time as a Gym Leader with Iris, Clemont, and Cilan, as well as sharing recipes.

Ash and Rachel, however, were simply leading the group in determined silence. After about three hours of walking, the group saw a flat-topped mountain ahead of them. Rachel gasped sharply at the sight.

"What is it Rachel?" Ash asked.

"That's the mountain where my dad fought the leaders of every major criminal organization in the world," Rachel said. "He did it to save my mother."

"You told me that story in Carradale City, didn't you?" Ash asked.

"Yeah, I did," Rachel said as she sighed. Then she noticed that the rest of the group was looking at her questioningly. "It's a story for another time, and one that you should probably hear from my dad to really understand what happened."

"Anyway, why don't we discuss something else," Ash said. "This should be a happy trip, shouldn't it?"

"You know, you're right," Clemont said. "Let's stay happy and avoid depressing topics."

That was when Bonnie yelled out from the small river ahead. "Hey guys! I found something interesting in the river!"

Ash and Pikachu both perked up and went toward Bonnie, Pikachu leaping from Ash's shoulder. When he saw what she held, he gasped. It was a Thunderstone. "No way," Ash said. "Nice find Bonnie." The rest of the group caught up when he said that.

That was when Rachel spoke up. "Hey Ash, maybe you could evolve Pikachu before the Elite Four," she said, earning her quite a few shocked looks at the suggestion, but not from Ash. He took the stone from Bonnie's hand and gazed hard at it.

"I don't know," Ash said. "How powerful is the Elite Four in this region?"

"From what my Dad told me, they are all at least twice as strong as the eighth gym leader of this region," Rachel said. "And the Kalos League's Elite Four doesn't even compare to the American League's."

Ash thought carefully for a long time. Then he looked to Pikachu. "Buddy, like all the times we have considered evolving you, I will leave this one up to you. Do you want to evolve into a Raichu?" Ash asked, holding the Thunderstone in front of Pikachu.

Pikachu looked at the Thunderstone for what felt like hours. Nobody even seemed to breathe during that time. After what felt like an eternity, Pikachu did what nobody expected him to ever do.

Pikachu touched the Thunderstone and began to glow as he began his evolution into Raichu. When the glowing ceased, a Raichu stood before them. "Raichu, how do you feel?" Ash asked.

"Raichu-Rai!" Raichu calling out his trainers name (in his own way) and leapt into Ash's arms, while he was noticeably heavier than before, Ash could tell that Raichu had kept his personality and his fighting spirit from before he evolved. Ash was overjoyed that Pikachu had finally evolved after eight years of them traveling together, and it was on their own terms. It seemed that now, like Pikachu, Ash was evolving into an even stronger trainer than ever before, and it was at the time when the two needed to be at the best they could possibly be. When they broke their hug, Raichu climbed to his favorite spot on Ash's shoulder, laying his now longer tail around Ash's neck, almost like a scarf.

"Well, I never thought I'd see the day," Brock said almost in awe. "After Pikachu refused to evolve twice, I thought he would always be a Pikachu."

"Rai-Raichu!" Raichu said, rubbing the back of his neck and smiling at Brock.

"Well, let's get going. The Elite Four isn't going to beat itself," Ash said, and with that Ash began to stride toward the east. The rest of the group followed suit, Rachel going first, then the rest of them following her and most of Ash's friends just shook their heads, laughing to themselves at the typical behavior Ash was exhibiting.

Another three hours passed and the group had just arrived at the guard gate that led to Victory Road. A number of guards stood at the exit leading to the caverns. Ash approached the guard sitting at the desk, badge case in-hand, and the newly evolved Raichu on his shoulder. "Good Afternoon sir," Ash said.

"Good afternoon, how may I help you?" the guard said.

"I am here to challenge the Elite Four," Ash said.

The guard nodded. "Show me your badges and state your name, and where you are from," the guard said. Ash handed the guard his badge case, which the guard opened before scanning each badge to check their authenticity.

"My name is Ash Ketchum, I'm from Pallet Town in the Kanto Region," Ash said proudly. The guard lifted an eyebrow at that.

"So, you decided to try this league before going back to beat Diantha?" he said.

Ash was surprised, but by now he was used to people asking him about his match against Diantha. "I did, but after this, I plan on going back to Kanto, not Kalos." The guard smiled now.

"Well, you have been cleared for your challenge. I wish you the best of luck on Victory Road." That was when he turned to the group behind Ash. "And I am guessing you are all friends giving support. Am I correct?"

Rachel stepped forward. "That's right, we just wanted to get Ash here," she said. The guard gave her an almost investigative look before laughing.

"Well I'll be damned, another Moul comes through here. Am I right to assume you've collected eight badges?" the guard asked.

Rachel just laughed to herself. "I did collect them, but I don't want to challenge the Elite Four. I'm going to become a breeder instead."

The guard laughed. "Well, I am sure you'll do great. Anyway, for spectators, there is actually a cable car that carries you over the mountain to Columbia Town. If you'll follow the hall to the left, you will get there quickly." Sure enough, there was a hallway leading toward the cable car. Ash's friends all wished him luck before heading down the hallway. Rachel stayed a little longer.

"Alright, Ash, be careful and don't do anything stupid," Rachel said, planting a light kiss on Ash's lips. "By the way, how long does it usually take for trainers to get through Victory Road?" she asked the guard.

"It shouldn't take more than a week for him to get through," the guard said.

"Thank you," she said before turning back to Ash and Raichu and addressing both of them. "Again, both of you be careful and make it back to me safely."

Ash smiled. "Of course Rachel, I do want to become a champion after all," he said a little slyly, but he was still sincere. "Now, don't miss the cable car, go spend more some time with my friends." Ash gave her one last kiss before she turned and went down the hall to the cable car.

When she was out of sight, Ash turned toward the exit he would be taking. He took a deep, steadying breath to calm his nerves before walking to the large double doors and pushing them both open at the same time. Light flooded into the building as he took his first steps on the American League Victory Road.

When his eyes readjusted, they widened at what was before him. It was a massive, snowcapped mountain, not unlike the Victory Road in Kalos, but there were no trainers visible on the open parts of the mountain, but there was no telling just how many miles of caverns were inside this behemoth of a mountain.

"Well Raichu, we need to start somewhere," Ash said. With that, he walked toward the first cave entrance.

_Time Skip: 3 days_

Ash gasped for fresh air as he exited the cave he was just inside. He had been through eight, winding, uphill tunnels, and each one was nearly twelve miles on their own. Luckily it seemed that there were no trainers in the mountain, but Arceus the wild Pokémon were terrifyingly powerful. For some reason that he couldn't figure out, there were useful items scattered through the tunnels, not that he was complaining about finding the occasional Full Restore.

That, however, was the least of Ash's worries. He had just come to the part of the path that wrapped around the mountain, and it was covered in snow. It was a narrow path too, so it seemed dangerous to go across on foot. Luckily, he had Latias with him, and it was not snowing at all, so she would have no problem flying. Ash grabbed Latias's Pokéball and called for her help. The Eon Pokémon appeared with a loud cooing, nuzzling Ash, which had become habitual for her. "Hey Latias, we need to get around the mountain to get to the path down, do you mind giving us a lift?" Ash said with a smile.

Latias cooed again, flying around Ash and getting under him and between his legs, getting him situated on her back before she flew around the mountain without trouble. It took only about five minutes to fly around, and Ash knew it was the right choice. Shortly after taking off because he was able to see that a section of the rock had collapsed, leaving no way across on foot.

Latias landed in front of the next cave entrance, where Ash got off and had her return to her Pokéball. It was time for the path to be all downhill from now on. He just hoped the hardships would be the same way.

_Time Skip: 3 days_

Rachel was pacing in the Pokémon Center of Columbia Town. She knew it had been about a week since Ash had entered Victory Road, so he should be arriving soon, but she was still worried. While Ash's friends had quickly become her friends too, she still longed for him to be back in her arms.

Meanwhile, inside the last tunnel of Victory Road before the exit, Ash and Raichu had just made it to the last turn and they could see the exit to Columbia Town. "Alright buddy, let's get this over with," Ash said with an exhausted sigh. Through this trip, Ash and Raichu had faced off against countless wild Pokémon and no trainers at all were to be found in the tunnel.

Ash began to run toward the exit, Raichu still happily riding on his shoulder, and toward who he knew was waiting for him at the Pokémon Center. It took five minutes before Ash made it to the exit, as well as battling with a couple of Golem, Onix, and (because no cave in Pokémon is complete without them) Golbat. Once he got to the exit, Ash did not hesitate to leave the cave. While these past six days had provided him with incredible training and the ability to grind their strength to a new level, he wanted desperately for it to be over. Besides, his food supply was gone.

When he got outside, Ash took a deep breath, enjoying the fresh air before taking in his surroundings. The first thing he noticed was an enormous stadium at the back of the town. It almost looked like the Roman Coliseum, and was about the same size. Then there was the rest of the town, which consisted of about five home-like buildings, a Pokémon Center, and a single tower that was most likely a hotel for spectators for the battles. Ash could only assume that those buildings belonged to the members of the Elite Four and the Champion. That was when Ash went toward the Pokémon Center, with a smile on his face, excited to see everybody after the week of near solitude.

Rachel was getting tired of waiting. She was just about to go back to her room when she heard the door to the Pokémon Center open. She turned around and her eyes lit up. Rachel ran to Ash, who wore a similar expression, and she leapt into his arms. Ash caught her with no trouble, spinning her around and kissing her for that spin before setting her down gently. "Hey you," Rachel said as she looked up into Ash's eyes as he rested his forehead on hers. "I missed you."

"I missed you too, but do you mind if I get to the counter? My Pokémon and I need to rest before you and I battle," Ash asked.

"Of course, but you will need to tell me all about what happened in Victory Road," she said. "By the way, we are in room 20."

"Great," Ash said as they got to the counter. "Hey Nurse Joy, do you mind healing my Pokémon. There are no serious injuries, but we have been in Victory Road for about a week."

Nurse Joy smiled. "Of course Ash, I should have them all healed within two hours. Just listen for the signal."

"Thank you Nurse Joy," Ash said. With that, Rachel hugged Ash tighter to her side and led him to their room.

Upon arrival Ash sighed in relief. The room was gigantic compared to other Pokémon Center rooms, and it had a king-sized bed. "Well, this is a pleasant surprise, but why is the room so big?" he asked.

"This is the room for challengers of the Elite Four. It is larger to let them be comfortable and relaxed until the challenge starts," Rachel explained. "I told them you and I were together so they let me stay here as well." Ash nodded in response.

"Well, I don't know about you, but I need a shower," he said. Rachel simply smiled.

"Alright, then I guess I'll join you," Rachel said with a smile, leading him to the large bathroom, closing the door behind him and locking it.

_Two Hours later_

Ash had just retrieved his Pokémon from Nurse Joy and was in his room, preparing mentally for the challenge that would come tomorrow, starting at noon. Raichu was curled up next to him, asleep. This time was even more nerve-wracking than before, since both Jordan and Connor Moul, two of the strongest champions in history, retired or otherwise, would be there to watch these battles. He still had no idea what Ross's team consisted of other than Chesnaught, but that was not going to be much of a concern for him until their battle began.

Rachel came into the room with dinner on a tray for herself and Ash. "Hey, are you feeling okay?" she asked.

"Yeah, just a bit nervous," Ash said with a slight sigh. "It was like this when I went up against the Kalos League Elite Four, except there is much more pressure on me now."

Rachel knelt in front of him. "Is there any way that I can help?"

Ash smiled lightly and placed his hand lightly on Rachel's cheek. "Not unless you can make me forget about my matches tomorrow," he said, stroking her cheek lightly with his thumb as he looked directly into her eyes.

Rachel leaned in and kissed him on the lips lightly, yet passionately. When she broke the contact, she looked into Ash's eyes again. "Just be sure to at least try to relax and get some sleep tonight. That will make a big difference in your battling tomorrow," she said before giving him a strong hug.

"Thank you Rachel, you seem to always know how to calm me down," Ash said. With that, she left the room and left Ash to his meditations.

It was the next day, the time was 11:50, ten minutes before noon and Ash was sitting in the challenger's locker room, awaiting the call. Raichu was on his shoulder, ready to begin his battles. His friends were all in the crowd of the stadium, which Ash could hear clearly through the thick concrete floor. That was when the referee began to speak into his microphone, and speakers extended his voice to where Ash was. "Welcome ladies and gentlemen to Columbia Town, home of the American League Elite Four," he said. "These battles are between Ash Ketchum, who comes all the way from Pallet Town in the Kanto Region, and the American League Elite Four. After each of Ketchum's wins, his Pokémon will be restored to full health before the next match. If Mr. Ketchum manages to clear the entire Elite Four, he will be granted the honor of battling the American League Champion, Ross Moul! During these battles, both sides may substitute Pokémon as they see fit."

Ash's heart was racing, he knew that his battles were about to begin. His Pokémon were all on his belt, and they were all ready for battle. Charizard was set to be his Mega Evolution, should the battle call for it. He looked at the clock, 11:55. Ash took a deep breath before heading to the tunnel leading to the battlefield. On his way out, he heard a familiar voice that he never expected to hear.

"Hey, twoip!" said the nasally voice of an all too familiar Meowth. Ash turned around to see Jessie, James, and Meowth standing behind him, wearing the uniforms of salespeople.

"Team Rocket?" Ash said.

"Not anymore," James said. "We quit working for them and went into business together. Also, it's good to see that you evolved your Pikachu."

"Why are you guys here?" Ash asked, slightly surprised, yet a little suspicious.

"Isn't that obvious?" Jessie said. "We have been with you since you started your journey, even if we were jerks to you the entire time. We are here to wish you luck and to say that we are rooting for you all the way."

Ash looked surprised at first before smiling. He always knew this trio had more good in them than bad. "Thank you."

"Don't thank us, just get out there and battle at your best. Achieve your dream," James said.

When he said that, the fateful announcement started. "Alright ladies and gentlemen," the announcer said, his voice echoing across the field. "It's time for the battles to begin!" Ash said goodbye to Team Rocket before walking to the edge of the tunnel. "Please help me in welcoming the challenger from Kanto, ASH KETCHUM!" Ash walked out onto the field, Raichu on his shoulder. He looked in the crowd and saw in the front row far more familiar faces than he thought there would be. Aside from his friends, he saw every professor he had ever met on his travels, and his mother was there as well, her camera flashing as she took pictures of her son walking proudly into the challenger's box.

Then the announcer continued. "Now, please welcome the first of the Elite Four, the Electric-specialist and winner of the Nobel Prize in Physics, Nikola!" From the other tunnel came a tall man who looked about the same age as Professor Rowan. He had a thick black mustache and really well-kept hair. He was dressed in a lab coat over a very nice suit. When he arrived in his box, he spoke to Ash in a thick Serbian accent.

"Welcome Mr. Ketchum. Your reputation of being an unpredictable battler precedes you, and while I am skeptical, I am also a scientist. And what is the best way to see if something is true, if not to test it for oneself? After all, you will need to be at your best to defeat me," he said.

Ash wore a determined expression, but he was not one to be impolite. "It's nice to meet you too Nikola, but I am afraid you will be surprised by what you see, even if you think you're prepared for my strategies," he said.

Nikola smiled, "Then prove it."

The referee took his spot on the sideline. "Alright, both of you select your Pokémon!"

"Go, Galvantula!" Nikola called out, releasing the gigantic, electric tarantula. Ash thought briefly before choosing his Pokémon.

"Go, Charizard!" Ash called out. Charizard appeared from his Pokéball, roaring strongly before hitting Ash with a friendly flamethrower as always. The crowd gasped at this, thinking Charizard was attacking his trainer, until they heard Ash laughing. "Your Flamethrower is as hot as ever Charizard," he said. "Now, let's show these people how strong we really are." Charizard grunted and spat a small tongue of fire at the ground as he took his position, a determined look in his eye, and a gleam coming from the Charizardite X on his chest plate.

The referee saw that both Pokémon were ready, so he lifted his arms, with both flags at the ready. "Ready, BEGIN!" he called as he dropped his flags. There was no going back now.

**What do you all think? How will Ash manage to beat the Elite Four? Will he be able to defeat them all and battle Ross? Find out in the next chapters.**

**As always, reviews are welcomed, so please be honest and tell me what you think of my writing. Thank you for reading this far.**


	31. The Shocking Battle

** Hello all, and welcome to the beginning of Ash's challenge of the Elite Four. They are all six-on-six battles, and each battle will be a chapter. Enjoy.**

_The Shocking Battle_

"Begin the battle!" the referee said. Ash's test had begun and there was no turning back.

"Charizard, Flamethrower!" Ash called out. Charizard roared and shot a massive stream of flame at Galvantula. There was a cry of pain, but it didn't last more than a few seconds. When the flames dissipated, Galvantula had some singed hairs, but seemed relatively unharmed otherwise.

"Well Mr. Ketchum, if that is the best you can do, then this battle will be short indeed. Now, Galvantula, use Thunderbolt!" Nikola said. Galvantula began to glow with electricity before launching a massive stream of lightning at Charizard. It would be super-effective if it landed, so Ash did the only thing that would help Charizard.

"Alright buddy, let's give this battle everything!" Ash said as he lifted his arm, the bracelet holding the Mega Keystone on his wrist. "Mega-Evolve!" Charizard's Mega Stone glowed brightly and he began to transform as a blinding light filled the stadium. Just before the lightning struck, Charizard emerged in his dragon-type mega form. Charizard crossed his wings in front of himself, and the bolt of lightning merely hit his leathery wings. The crowd was awed at the sight of the Mega Evolution, something many of them had still thought to merely be a legend. But now, here it was in full view.

"Very impressive Mr. Ketchum, let us see just how strong your bond with Charizard is," Nikola said. "Now, Galvantula, use Hidden Power!" Galvantula began to glow white as it gathered its inner energy. That energy formed a ball of light in front of Galvantula before he fired a stream at the fire dragon.

"Charizard, dodge and use Flare Blitz!" Ash commanded. Charizard became cloaked in blue flames before flying at breakneck speeds, dodging around the incoming Hidden Power attack, before slamming into Galvantula, sending the bug into the ground, making a deep crater. While Charizard seemed to be a little shaken by the powerful attack, it seemed that Galvantula had been taken out of the battle by a critical hit.

"Galvantula is unable to battle, Charizard is the winner!" the referee called out. The crowd roared.

"Folks, I don't believe this, with an astounding Flare Blitz, Charizard was able to pull off a quick first victory! Now, who will Nikola choose for his next Pokémon?"

Nikola recalled Galvantula and thought for a moment before grabbing his next Pokéball. "Go, Rotom!" Nikola called. The Pokémon that appeared was a Rotom in its Wash form.

"Alright Charizard, you battled well, now take a rest, I may need you later on," Ash said, recalling Charizard. "Now go, Sceptile!" Sceptile appeared from his Pokéball, knelt down and placed his iconic twig in his mouth.

"Sceptile vs. Rotom, begin the battle!" the referee said.

"Sceptile, use Bullet Seed!" Ash commanded, seeming like he wanted to end this battle as quickly as possible. Sceptile sprang into action, his motion was nearly impossible to follow. With that, Sceptile began to run around Rotom, firing seeds at the washing machine Pokémon, hitting it repeatedly.

"Rotom, use Will-o-Wisp!" Nikola said. Rotom formed a stream of ghostly flames that flew toward Sceptile.

"Sceptile, dodge that with Agility!" Ash called out. The grass gecko vanished just as the flames were about to hit him. He reappeared on the other side of the field, by Ash.

"Sceptile, use Swords Dance!" Ash commanded. Sceptile was surrounded by a ring of swords, and his body took on a red glow. When the swords disappeared, Sceptile looked even stronger than before.

"Do you think we are just going to take that sitting down?" Nikola asked. "Rotom, Confuse Ray." Rotom sent out multi-colored orbs of light, which flew directly at Sceptile, and they weren't about to miss. In fact, they struck Sceptile with very little trouble, causing him to become confused and disoriented.

That, however, would not be enough to stop Sceptile and Ash. They had gotten out of more difficult situations before, namely during the Sinnoh League Semi Finals against Tobias's Darkrai. Their bond was too strong for simple confusion to stop them. "Sceptile, show them that we won't be beaten by confusion, and use Leaf Blade!"

Nikola raised his eyebrow at the command. "Are you sure that you want to try that Ash?"

"Absolutely, Sceptile and I trust each other and we hold a bond strong enough for Mega Evolution. In fact, that is true for all of my Pokémon, whether they can actually Mega-Evolve or not. Now, Sceptile, hit Rotom with Leaf Blade." Sceptile's forearm leaves began to glow vibrantly green, that was when, with the boosted speed from Agility, he vanished, only to reappear behind Rotom. He swung his leaves hard, slamming them into Rotom with his enhanced strength from Swords Dance. Rotom's eyes went wide at the impact and he was hit so hard that his true form was thrown off the washing machine he had been possessing.

"Rotom is unable to continue, Sceptile is the winner!" the referee said. Ash smiled.

It seemed apparent to him that all of his training in Victory Road was paying off. Had it not been for that training, he actually would have gotten through that mountain two and a half days earlier than he did. During the extra time, Ash and his team of six had done nothing but train and grow stronger. Now he saw that those days had also improved his battling skills to a level where he could take on the Elite Four as equals, rather than coming clearly from behind as he and Rachel had against the last two gym leaders of the American League.

"Rotom, return my friend," Nikola said. "You fought well my friend; you take a long rest now." Nikola picked his next Pokéball quickly. "Go, Electivire!" Nikola's next Pokémon was one that Ash knew all too well from his battles with Paul in Sinnoh.

Ash thought for a second before deciding to keep Sceptile on the field. He would prefer using a ground type like Garchomp, but Sceptile's grass-typing was the next best thing against Electric types, and Ash didn't want to lose Sceptile's stat boosts. "Sceptile, are you good to keep going?" he asked, knowing the answer already, but he still liked to hear it from his Pokémon before he decided. Sceptile simply looked back at Ash, grinning confidently, his eyes gleaming brightly. Ash nodded. "I thought so. Now let's do this!"

"Sceptile vs. Electivire, begin!" the referee called out.

"Sceptile, use Leaf Blade!" Ash called out. Sceptile once again extended his forearm leaves as the glowed a vibrant green once again. Sceptile vanished before reappearing behind Electivire.

"Electivire, grab Sceptile with your tails!" Nikola called out. Electivire's tails both wrapped around both of Sceptile's arms. That was when Nikola noticed something. Ash was smiling confidently now.

"Sceptile, hit Electivire with Bullet Seed!" Ash said. Sceptile simply opened his mouth and launched a massive barrage of seeds at Electivire, hitting it hard and forcing the Pokémon to let go of Sceptile. "Now, use Iron Tail!" Ash said. Sceptile's tail took on a steel-like glow as he spun around and slammed his tail into Electivire's head. Ash knew that Electivire was typically a fast Pokémon, but had weaker defenses as a trade-off. This one, however, seemed to be relatively unscathed by that Iron Tail. Sceptile landed nimbly on Ash's side of the field, facing Electivire. The electric-type was still standing strong.

"Electivire, use Fire Punch!" Nikola called out. Electivire's fists became covered flames as he charged Sceptile quickly and punched the gecko across his face. Sceptile slid back across the ground, closer to Ash and, aside from a bruise, he seemed relatively unharmed. That was good, because it was time for this round to end.

"Sceptile, use Earthquake!" Ash commanded. Sceptile sent out a shockwave through the ground, breaking it apart before shooting up under Electivire and hitting it repeatedly. The electric type fell to his knees and then fell face down.

"Electivire is unable to continue, Sceptile is the winner!" the referee called out.

"When did Ash become so powerful?" Brock asked. "He wasn't even close to this strength when he went into Victory Road."

Rachel just laughed to herself. "I figured he had trained while he was there," she said. "But it seems that he did far more than I expected."

"Well, it seems that it paid off, since he has yet to lose a single Pokémon," Max said.

"Well done Ash, you have fought perfectly so far, and for that you deserve congratulations. Unfortunately, my next three Pokémon are my three strongest," Nikola said. "As many people know, you started with a Pikachu, who is the Raichu on your shoulder. I also started with a Pikachu, and he too has become a Raichu. Now, it's time for you to meet him. Go, Raichu!" Out came the orange electric mouse. It was a little taller than Ash's Raichu, but not by much, and it looked to be just as strong. Ash smiled. This would be fun.

"Raichu vs. Sceptile, begin!" the referee called out.

"Raichu, Agility into Ice Punch!" Nikola called out. His Raichu began to sprint, then vanish and reappear repeatedly around the field. When his speed was sufficiently increased, he raised his fist, ice covering it. As Raichu converged on Sceptile, Ash simply smiled. Nikola was almost making this too easy on them.

Sceptile, jump over Raichu and use Slam!" Ash said. Sceptile stood at the ready, when Raichu was at the perfect position Sceptile jumped and began a flip over Raichu. When Raichu was directly under Sceptile, the wood gecko flipped and slammed Raichu with his tail. That sent Raichu crashing into and through the ground, creating a long crater in the ground. It wasn't enough to beat Raichu, but it did give them an opening. "Now, use Bullet Seed and finish this round!" Ash commanded. Sceptile fired a stream of seeds at Raichu.

"Raichu, use Protect," Nikola commanded. Raichu shielded himself with a green sphere of energy. The Bullet Seed attack bounced off the sphere harmlessly and ricocheted into the ground powerfully, kicking up dust. "Now, use Volt Tackle!" Out of the dust, Raichu came flying in a cloud of electricity before slamming into Sceptile.

"Sceptile, throw Raichu back toward Nikola and then use Leaf Blade!" Ash called out. Sceptile did what looked like a Circle Throw attack, launching Raichu across the field toward Nikola. Sceptile sprinted at Raichu, his leaves glowing and extending. Sceptile easily caught up with Raichu and struck him hard, sending Raichu flying into the wall.

"Raichu is unable to continue, Sceptile is the winner!" the referee said. The crowd roared.

"Folks, I have not seen anything quite like this, Ash has swept through four of Nikola's Pokémon without losing even one of his own. This Sceptile is beyond normal; that is for sure!" the announcer said excitedly.

Nikola closed his eyes for a moment after recalling Raichu. "Raichu you fought admirably. Ash your Sceptile is strong indeed, but I'm afraid it won't win this next round. Go Eelektross!" Nikola called out as he sent out the levitating electric eel with clawed arms. Ash knew that this Pokémon could learn Flamethrower, and it had the special attack to back it up.

"Eelektross vs. Sceptile, begin!" the referee called out.

"Sceptile, use Leaf Blade!" Ash called out.

"Eelektross, use Sludge Bomb!" Nikola commanded. Eelektross immediately shot a blob of brown sludge at Sceptile, which splashed over the Pokémon, sending Sceptile across the field, where he fell to one knee before collapsing forward.

"Sceptile is unable to battle, Eelektross is the winner!" the referee called out. Ash's eyes went wide. That Eelektross was impossibly strong to take Sceptile out that easily.

"Return Sceptile," Ash said. "You fought incredibly well buddy, take a good rest, I promise you we will win this. Now, go Garchomp!" Now came the Pokémon Ash had wanted to use from the start of this battle. While Sceptile had done marvelously, this was always going to be Garchomp's battle in the end.

"Garchomp vs. Eelektross. Begin the battle!" the referee called out.

"Garchomp, use Dragon Rush!" Ash commanded. Garchomp leapt into the air, became cloaked in blue energy before he flew directly at Eelektross.

"Eelektross, use Drain Punch!" Nikola called out. Eelektross threw a punch that glowed green at Garchomp as the massive dragon closed in. The two attacks crashed into each other, causing the two Pokémon to struggle for the advantage over the other. Unfortunately for Eelektross, Garchomp had gravity in his favor, and he soon overwhelmed Eelektross. A dust cloud kicked up, but it didn't conceal the fact that both Pokémon were still up.

"Garchomp, Flamethrower!" Ash commanded. It was a powerful attack for sure, but not necessarily a finishing attack. Ash wanted to save that attack for the final battle, otherwise it would make things harder in the end.

"Eelektross, Outrage!" Nikola called out. Ash's eyes went wide. Outrage was a dangerous dragon type move, but if used right it could win a battle easily. Eelektross began to glow orange before rushing at Garchomp, through the Flamethrower. The eel slammed into Garchomp, taking damage from the flames but not enough to take him out, and he took additional damage from Garchomp's Rough Skin. Garchomp was shaken, but he was not beaten yet.

"Great job Garchomp! Now, use Dragon Claw!" Ash called out. Garchomp's claws began to glow blue-green and he flew directly at Eelektross faster than the Outrage attack had been. Garchomp slashed Eelektross across its body, which sent it sprawling; that was the end of the round, Eelektross was out of the fight.

"Eelektross is unable to battle, Garchomp is the winner!" the referee said.

This was it. This was the final round for this battle. Nikola recalled Eelektross, thanking him for his performance. He picked his last Pokéball. "Ampharos, I am counting on you!" Nikola called out. His next Pokémon appeared, but this Ampharos was wearing an Ampharosite in a pendant. Ash knew what this meant. This would be a Mega-Evolved Pokémon shortly. Ash thought for a brief moment. He could switch to Charizard again for the benefit of a Mega Evolved Pokémon of his own, but at the same time, Garchomp still had an essential type advantage over Ampharos with his ground typing. Ash decided to stick with Garchomp for this battle.

"Garchomp vs. Ampharos, begin the battle!" the referee called out.

"Ampharos, Mega-Evolve!" Nikola called out. Nikola touched a keystone on his lapel which lit up as the Ampharosite began to glow and light extended across the field, connecting the two stones before filling the arena with more brilliant light. When the lights disappeared, Ampharos had a fluffy white tail and a long flowing head of the same white fur, and he had 4 red gems on his tail. It was now time for the true battle to start.

"Garchomp, use Swords Dance, and then Dragon Claw!" Ash called out. Garchomp became surrounded by a ring of blue swords temporarily. Once they disappeared, he flew toward Ampharos at incredible speed and slashed at the electric dragon. In response, Ampharos did what nobody expected. He leapt over Garchomp and fired a Dragon Pulse without Nikola having to say anything. Garchomp saw Dragon Pulse coming and barrel-rolled out of the way just as the attack hit the ground. Ash was proud of Garchomp for acting on his own judgment.

"Use Earthquake," Ash commanded. Garchomp, who was still airborne, slammed his tail into the ground, sending a massive shockwave across the field, timing it to hit just as Ampharos hit the ground. The sheep Pokémon was hit by stones shooting up and he could barely stand straight. It was time for the finishing move. "Garchomp, Draco Meteor!" Ash commanded. Garchomp smiled and landed on his feet before firing a sphere of orange light into the sky, which erupted into multiple meteors that began to rain down on the field. Ampharos, who was still slightly disoriented, could not dodge the attack in time. Despite the power of mega evolution, Ampharos was sent flying back toward Nikola where he crashed into the ground before reverting to his normal form. The battle was over.

"Ampharos is unable to continue, Garchomp wins the round, which means that Ash Ketchum will move on to the next member of the Elite Four," the referee said. The crowd went wild, excited to see what else Ash could do. It would certainly be a great day of battling.


	32. Wade Through the Waves

_Wade Through the Waves_

Ash removed his Pokeballs from the healing machine that had come out of the floor next to him, and it worked more quickly than any machine Ash had ever used before. He felt this was so the battles could continue more quickly. "Mr. Ketchum, are you prepared for the next battle?" the referee asked.

"I'm ready, bring out my next opponent," Ash said. The referee nodded, pressed a button on his radio, sending a signal to the announcer to announce the next member of the Elite Four.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, thank you for your patience. The time has come for the next battle. Here he is, the Master of Water Types, Wade!" the announcer said. When he said that, the crowd roared in excitement. Out of the Elite Four tunnel came a tall man who almost resembled Brawly, but he had brown hair, and dressed in business casual attire. The only item on him that even remotely indicated that he was a Water trainer was a sea shell necklace. His hair also looked like it was blown back from an ocean breeze.

When he got to the box on his side of the field, Wade looked at Ash. "Well it seems you put quite the beating on Nikola. You know, nobody since our current champion, Ross has done that to any of us. You may have what it takes, but I will put that to the test for myself," he said with a smooth, deep voice that sounded like it came from a romance movie. "Prepare yourself. Go Gyarados!" Out came the gigantic sea serpent, who roared at his opponent. Ash simply smiled and held his hat so it wasn't blown back by the wind Gyarados created.

"Raichu, are you ready?" Ash asked.

"Rai-raichu!" the mouse Pokémon said before leaping from his trainer's shoulder.

"Great, let's do this!" Ash said.

"Raichu versus Gyarados; begin the battle!" the referee said.

"Gyarados, use Dragon Dance!" Wade called out. Gyarados began to move around as a black and red aura formed around him. Ash smiled, this round was already his.

"Raichu, use Electro Ball, and then follow it up with Volt Tackle!" Ash called out. Raichu gathered electricity in a sphere at his tail. Raichu then whipped his tail around, throwing the ball at Gyarados. That was when he noticed Wade smirking. Raichu began to sprint across the field, covering himself in a cloud of lightning as he sprinted at Gyarados.

"Gyarados, Earthquake!" Wade called out. Gyarados slapped the ground with his tail, sending out a massive shockwave that broke the ground apart. Luckily, Raichu was smart enough to leap above the attack before it hit him. The Volt Tackle struck Gyarados hard, sending the sea serpent reeling (Fishing pun intended). The attack was effective but this Gyarados was a sturdy Pokémon. It would not fall so easily. Raichu was now feeling the recoil damage from the Volt Tackle. That, however, was minimal compared to the immense amount of power that Raichu had gained since evolving.

"Great job staying strong Gyarados," Wade said. "Now, use Aqua Tail!" Gyarados's tail became surrounded by swirling water as he swept it across the field, slamming it into Raichu, sending the mouse Pokémon sprawling. Ash wasn't worried though. He knew Raichu had made it through that attack. After all, as a Pikachu he had beaten a Regice, tied with a Latios, and even went toe-to-toe with Zapdos for a while. As a Raichu, his toughness had only increased.

Raichu stood up after taking a second to clear the fog from its head just from the sheer force of the impact. "Good to see you can keep going buddy. Now, hit him with a Thunderbolt and finish this round!" Ash commanded. Raichu smiled as he unleashed a massive bolt of electricity at Gyarados, who shrieked at the electrocution he was receiving. When Raichu was finished, the massive serpent keeled over and landed with a crash.

"Gyarados is unable to battle, Raichu is the winner!" the referee called out. Wade just shook his head and smiled as he returned his Pokémon.

"Well, it seems that Nikola wasn't joking when he said you were a strong trainer," Wade said as he pulled out his next Pokéball. "Now, let's see how you deal with my Milotic!" As he said that, the second sea serpent Pokémon appeared. This one was the more beautiful of the two, but Milotic surely had hidden strength, and Ash could see it in her eyes.

"Milotic vs. Raichu, begin!" the referee said.

"Raichu, Electro Tail!" Ash commanded, using a combination move. Raichu's tail turned to steel while he formed a sphere of electricity at the tip. He sprinted up to Milotic and flipped twice, the first time to throw the Electro Ball, and the second was to hit Milotic with the Iron Tail.

"Milotic, use Hydro Tail to counter!" Wade said calmly. Milotic fired a stream of water at the Electro Ball while hitting Raichu's Iron Tail with her own. The four attacks all canceled each other out and Raichu had to simply flip back to where he had started. "Nice try Ash, but you aren't the only one who can combine attacks."

"I never expected it to be that easy, Wade," Ash said with a laugh. Then he got a serious look in his eye. "And that was just a check on Milotic's power. Now, Raichu, use Thunderbolt!" Raichu leapt into the air, his cheeks sparking as he fired a massive bolt of lightning at Milotic.

"Milotic, use Hyper Beam!" Wade called out. Milotic fired a large beam of light at Raichu's Thunderbolt. The two attacks collided and began to compete for dominance. Eventually, the attacks just caused an explosion in the center of the field.

"Raichu, use Volt Tackle!" Ash called out. Raichu became coated in electricity as he flew across the field at Milotic. He slammed into the sea serpent Pokémon hard, sending it sprawling. That, however, was not the end of the fight.

"Milotic, use Hydro Pump again!" Wade called out. Milotic fired a large torrent of water at Raichu, her aim was almost perfect. Almost.

Raichu dashed to the right, dodging the large blast of water with seeming ease. "Raichu, use Thunderbolt!" Ash called out. His ever faithful Pokémon launched one more bolt of lightning at the sea serpent. This time, when Milotic fell, she stayed down.

"Milotic is unable to continue, Raichu is the winner!" the referee called out. Wade just calmly recalled Milotic, shaking his head.

"Once again Ash, you've shown your strength, but now I'm afraid that electricity will do you no favors here. Go, Swampert!" Wade called out as he sent out the final evolution of the Hoenn water starter.

"Oh great, just what I needed," Ash said quietly. "Raichu, do you want to keep going?"

Raichu looked back at Ash with a confident look on his face. Ash smiled back. He and Raichu had been practicing an attack to deal with the occasional ground type, and Raichu had nearly perfected it. Now it was time to test it.

"Raichu vs. Swampert; begin the battle!" the referee said.

"Swampert, Waterfall!" Wade called out. Swampert ran at Raichu, water coating the mud fish's body.

"Ready Raichu?" Ash asked. Raichu nodded confidently. "Raichu, use Grass Knot!"

"WHAT?!" Wade said, suddenly nervous. Raichu knew grass type attacks? This would make victory troublesome. Raichu's eyes glowed green and two long blades of grass, which tied together at Swampert's feet, tripping him and causing him to face-plant, the grass type attack doing severe damage to the mudfish. This Swampert was incredibly sturdy, so he was not to be defeated that easily.

Rachel smiled. Ash had done more than just improve the strength of his Pokémon, he taught them unexpected attacks to cover their weaknesses. He was definitely on the fast track to being a Pokémon Master. The rest of Ash's friends, except Gary, were still in shock.

"I don't know how Ash keeps doing it, but he never stops amazing us," Serena said. "Rachel, you are lucky to be dating him." She then muttered under her breath "Arceus knows that I wanted to."

"Well thank you Serena," Rachel said, giving no indication that she heard exactly what Serena said about wanting Ash to date her instead. It didn't matter, Ash had made his choice. That was when she looked over at her father, and saw him watching more intently than she had ever seen him watching a battle. "Dad, what's up?" she asked.

Jordan seemed unaware that his daughter just spoke to him, but luckily Connor answered. "He is taking mental notes about Ash's battle style since it won't be long before they battle each other." Rachel just laughed. It was just like her dad to do that. Despite retiring, her father never truly stopped being a trainer.

Ash smiled as he saw Swampert collapse, but then his smile dropped as the mudfish stood up just as fast. "How did he endure that?" Ash asked.

"It's simple," Wade said, "Swampert may have a serious weakness to grass, but he and I trained to overcome that weakness. He has trained to be so defensively strong that grass attacks leave barely a scratch on him anymore. Nice try though, you would have beaten any other Swampert with that attack. Now, Swampert, Mud Shot!" Wade called out. Swampert shot multiple spheres of mud at Raichu, and they were flying fast. Despite his amazing speed, Raichu had no chance to dodge the attack. He was slammed with mud and sent flying across the field.

"Raichu, try to land on your feet, then use Quick Attack into Iron Tail!" Ash commanded. Raichu sprinted at Swampert with a white streak extending behind him while his tail lit up and turned to steel. Raichu leapt into the air and flipped before slamming his tail into Swampert hard. Swampert cried out, but he was not beaten.

"Swampert, throw Raichu down and then use Earthquake!" Wade called out. Swampert grabbed Raichu's tail and whipped the Pokémon into the ground before slamming his fists into the ground, creating massive shockwaves. Raichu, although sturdy for his species, would not get through this round.

"Raichu is unable to battle, Swampert is the winner," the referee said.

"Swampert, carry Raichu over to Ash," Wade said. Swampert did as commanded, picking up Raichu and carrying him over to Ash.

"Thank you Swampert, but don't think I will go any easier on you now," Ash said, earning a determined look from Wade's Pokémon, who then returned to his side of the field. "Now, I choose you, SCEPTILE!" Ash called out as he threw the Pokéball with the wood gecko into the air. Sceptile appeared from his Pokéball, ready to battle. Swampert looked a bit concerned, since Sceptile was practically designed by Arceus to counter Swamperts.

"Sceptile vs. Swampert, begin the battle!" the referee called out.

"Sceptile, use Agility into Leaf Blade!" Ash called out without hesitation. Sceptile sprinted across the field with his forearm leaves extended. Swampert had almost no time to react, but almost no time was still enough for the elite Pokémon.

"Swampert, Ice Punch!" Wade called out. Swampert's fist began to glow blue with icy energy and he swung just as Sceptile got to him. Both attacks hit at the exact same time, and both Pokémon took a great deal of damage from the attacks, which were both super effective. Swampert, however, took more damage due to his quadruple weakness to grass. Both Pokémon, who had finished by facing away from the other, turned back to each other with determined expressions. Swampert gave Sceptile a nod of respect before collapsing, losing the fight.

"Swampert is unable to battle! Sceptile is the winner!" the referee said.

"WOOOO Nikola wasn't joking when he said to watch out for that Sceptile," Wade said as he recalled Swampert and pulled out his next Pokéball. "To take out my Swampert that way is no easy feat, but you did it. But will it be enough to take out my Lanturn!" As he said that, the electric fish Pokémon appeared. Ash smiled. This was going to be fun.

"Sceptile, Swords Dance, then use Earthquake!" Ash commanded. Sceptile was surrounded by blue blades as his attack doubled.

"Lanturn, use Confuse Ray as soon as Sceptile finishes that Swords Dance!" Wade called out. Lanturn didn't hesitate, and she fired multiple purple orbs at Sceptile, confusing the gecko. Ash smiled again. Nikola had tried this earlier and failed. It was time for Wade to learn the same. Sceptile would not be beaten by confusion.

"Sceptile, finish that Earthquake, show Lanturn that you won't be stopped by confusion," Ash called out. Sceptile heard him clearly and slapped the ground with his tail, sending out the shockwave. "Now, ride your shockwave and hit Lanturn into the ground with Leaf Blade!" Sceptile sprinted at Lanturn, landing in front of the wave-like shockwave, his arm leaves extending and glowing green. He sprinted until the shockwave created a springboard for a powerful jump. Lanturn had no chance to avoid the Leaf Blade, which Sceptile hit with perfection, sending Lanturn crashing into the ground just as Earthquake got to him. The timing was perfect and the Leaf Blade had been a critical hit. Lanturn struggled to get back up, but there was nothing he could do to continue, no matter how strong his resolve was.

"Lanturn is unable to continue. Sceptile is the winner!" the referee called out. "Wade, choose your next Pokémon!"

"Well Ash, that was certainly unexpected, and really well thought out, if I might say so," Wade said.

"Well thank you Wade, but truth is that it was all spur-of-the-moment. I almost never have a plan going into battles," Ash said, rubbing his nose with his finger as he usually did when he found something a bit comical.

"Is that so?" Wade said, even more impressed than before. "Well, it seems your reputation of thinking on your feet was under exaggerated. I won't make the mistake of underestimating you again. Now, GO! Lapras!" Ash's eyes went wide as he saw the Transport Pokémon, which reminded him greatly of his own Lapras. While he had a connection with a Lapras, he would not hold back in this battle.

"Lapras vs. Sceptile, begin the match!" referee said. Ash smiled again at the call for the continuation of the battle.

"Sceptile, Leaf Tail!" Ash called out. Sceptile's eyes gleamed with confidence once again. He sprinted at Lapras with his tail glowing metallically and his arm leaves glowing green. Then, as he got close, the energy in his arms funneled into his tail, tinting the steel color green. Sceptile sprinted at Lapras, leaping into the air to gain momentum.

"Lapras, Ice Beam!" Wade said. Lapras fired a stream of frozen energy at Sceptile, who had very little time to dodge the incoming attack. So he improvised. Sceptile swung his tail around, blocking the Ice Beam, but he lost the energy built up in his tail. So, he just went with a normal Leaf Blade. Sceptile hit Lapras hard, but it wasn't nearly as effective as the combination attack would've been.

"Alright Sceptile, great job thinking on your feet! Now, let's hit Lapras with Bullet Seed!" Ash called out. Sceptile shot a stream of glowing seeds at Lapras, which would have hit hard, but Wade had a counter.

"Lapras, use Ice Pump!" Wade called out. Lapras fired what looked like a massive stream of icy spears mixed in a torrent of water. The two attacks collided, but Bullet Seed was being overpowered by the Ice and Water combination attack.

"Sceptile, get out of there, and hit Lapras with Leaf Tail!" Ash called out. Sceptile kept firing as he leapt into the air, his arm leaves and tail glowing as they did before. Sceptile flew in, and this time he managed to land a hit, sending Lapras into the ground. A cloud of dust flew up as Lapras's body was hit hard by Sceptile's tail. When the dust settled, Lapras was down. Ash knew that there was now only one more Pokémon to beat, and that was probably going to be a mega, if he had learned anything from his battle against Nikola.

"Lapras is unable to battle. Sceptile is the winner. Wade, send out your next Pokémon!" the referee called out.

Wade recalled Lapras, then pulled out his last Pokéball. "Ash, you are an impressive battler. Better than any trainer I have ever seen, other than Ross. I doubt I will be able to beat you, but I might as well give it my best try, now I choose my first Pokémon. Let's go, Blastoise!"

Ash smiled, the Blastoise reminded him of his own Squirtle who was serving as a fireman with the Squirtle Squad. That, however, was not going to stop him from winning, just like with the Lapras. This Blastoise, however, was wearing a necklace not unlike the one that Charizard wore. "Sceptile vs. Blastoise, begin the battle!" the referee called out.

"Blastoise, Mega Evolve!" Wade called out. As the bright light of mega evolution filled the stadium, Ash decided to strategize how to beat Blastoise without using a mega evolved Pokémon of his own. He had beaten Nikola's Mega Ampharos with Garchomp, so he should be able to use Sceptile to do the same against Blastoise. He came up with a strategy just as the light faded and Blastoise appeared in his mega form, with a massive cannon on his back. It was time to battle the massive turtle Pokémon.

"Sceptile, Leaf Blade!" Ash commanded. Sceptile sprinted at Blastoise, his leaves extending and glowing with energy. Sceptile leapt at Blastoise, ready to score a strong hit.

Wade and Blastoise would not let that happen. "Blastoise, Dark Pulse!" Wade called out. A stream of black and purple-tinted rings flew at Sceptile at incredible speed, more speed than a Dark Pulse normally should have had. That was likely due to Blastoise's Mega Launcher ability. Sceptile was unable to dodge in time, and he flinched as he took the hit, losing the energy in his leaves.

Ash grimaced at the power of that Dark Pulse, but he knew that it was beatable. "Sceptile, use Bullet Seed!" Ash called out. Sceptile fired off a massive stream of seeds at Blastoise, which hit hard, but Blastoise withstood the barrage.

"Blastoise, use Ice Beam!" Wade called out. Blastoise's cannon fired a massive Ice Beam at Sceptile, fast again, but not unbearably so.

"Sceptile, dodge and use Solar Beam!" Ash commanded. Sceptile leapt to the side, rolling away from Blastoise while his leaves gathered sunlight.

"Blastoise, use Rain Dance, slow that Solar Beam down!" Wade said. Blastoise roared once, and rain clouds gathered and then opened up, but Sceptile kept charging energy for Solar Beam. "Now, hit Sceptile with Hydro Pump!" Blastoise fired a massive torrent of water at Sceptile, but the wood gecko leapt out of the way once again, keeping his distance until the energy was at a sufficient level for Solarbeam, and it would not be long before that happened. "Keep firing Blastoise, don't let Sceptile fire that Solarbeam!" Wade called out.

Ash smiled, he and Sceptile knew that the time had come. "Sceptile, get in close with Agility, then let that Solar Beam go!" Ash called out. Sceptile did as told, seeming to vanish before reappearing right behind Blastoise, and he fired as soon as he reappeared. The Solar Beam struck Blastoise hard enough to send the turtle flying into the wall, despite his weight, and the attack lit up the entire stadium and ended the storm. When Solar Beam dissipated, Sceptile stood proud, while Blastoise was slumped against the wall in his original form.

"Blastoise is unable to battle, which means that Sceptile wins the round and Ash Ketchum will continue on to battle Maylay!" the referee called out. Ash cheered loudly as he ran out and hugged Sceptile. Ash knew his Pokémon were all battling harder than ever before, and the results were clear. They had now made it to the halfway mark of the Elite Four. Ash had Sceptile return for healing, although it was unlikely that he would be needed next battle.

In the stands, Rachel was feeling immense pride for her boyfriend. While she knew he was working hard, she also knew the Elite Four here didn't play around. Ash would be in for a tough battle next round with Maylay. Especially if her dad was to be believed when he said that she was a stronger fighting-type trainer than Bruno. She just hoped that Ash would keep going strong.

**Hey everybody, I figured that I would switch my announcements to the bottom of the story. A few things I want to address.**

**Sorry for the long wait, I was writing up the details of the storyline for my next story**

**This next story is going to be about Brendan and May traveling through Hoenn, and I will work to make it as original of a work as I can (because let's be honest, there are a lot of those stories on this site already).**

**As always, reviews are welcomed, just please make them constructive.**

**Thank you for reading this far, and I hope you enjoyed this chapter. **


	33. Super Smash Maylay

_Super Smash Maylay_

Ash took his Pokéballs from the healing machine, one containing Raichu who only agreed to going into the Pokéball to be healed. Ash released Raichu and let the Pokémon climb to where he normally sat. Ash then clipped the all but one of his Pokéballs to his belt. The Pokéball he held belonged to Latias. That was when the announcer began his next introduction.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, it's time for the next battle. The next member of the Elite Four that Ash Ketchum will be battling is the mistress of martial arts, she is the best fighting type trainer in the American League, and she is also the women's martial arts world champion. Please welcome the one, the only, MAYLAY!" he called out. As he said that, a middle-aged brunette woman wearing a karate gi walked out from the tunnel, walking with the appearance of a disciplined warrior. While she wasn't extremely muscular, she clearly had a great deal of strength. Ash could tell she would not underestimate him like the last two did.

"So, you are Ash Ketchum, the same trainer who thoroughly thrashed Nikola and Wade? Good to know that somebody as young as yourself is such a strong trainer. Since you are clearly so powerful, realize that I will hold nothing back. Now, let's begin. GO, BRELOOM!" she called out as she sent out the fighting mushroom Pokémon.

"Alright then, if you're using fighting, then I choose Latias!" Ash called out. Latias appeared, looking impressive at first, but then she flew back to Ash, nuzzling him and earning a few "aww"s in the process. "Hey Latias, I know, it's great to see you too, but we have a battle to start," Ash said through chuckles.

_Alright, fine Ash, let's take this battle_ Latias projected into Ash's mind as she returned to the battlefield. Ash noticed that Maylay was smiling at Ash from across the way.

"What is it ma'am?" Ash asked.

"You and that Latias are so close and so happy together, it's no wonder you are such a good trainer when you have bonds like that with your Pokémon," Maylay said.

Ash smiled. "Well thank you," he said as the referee raised his flags.

"Latias vs. Breloom! Begin the battle!" he called out.

"Breloom, start with Spore, then use Mach Punch!" Maylay called out. Breloom shook his head, sending spores through the air. Then his fist began to glow white.

"Latias, use Psychic to send that Spore right back at Breloom, then follow it up with an Ice Beam!" Ash commanded. Latias's body glowed with a blue aura as her psychic energy stopped the spore cloud and sent it flying back. While it didn't do any to Breloom, Latias took a telepathic cue from Ash and used her psychic attack on Breloom.

When Breloom became covered in a psychic aura, Maylay's eyes went wide. Was this a disobedient Latias? No, there was no way that this Pokémon, who just gave the whole crowd a display of undeniable affection for her trainer, would ever act outside of her trainer's orders. So then what was she missing? That was when it hit her; Latias and Ash must have a telepathic link. If that was the case, then it was going to be terribly difficult to defeat since Ash could give commands without saying a word, since she couldn't hear what he called for the dragon to do. Just as she came to this conclusion, Breloom went flying across the field as Latias threw him with her psychic attack. This Breloom was strong defensively, though, so it wouldn't fall so easily.

Ash, as always, came up with a strategy for the situation in a split second. "Latias use Ice Beam!" Ash called out. Latias reared her head back and fired a powerful Ice Beam, which hit Breloom hard in the chest, freezing the mushroom Pokémon. "Now Steel Wing!" he called. Latias looped around, and her wings began to glow metallically. Latias flew at Breloom at breakneck pace, and she slammed her wings into the frozen grass type, shattering the ice and sending the Pokémon flying once more. This time, Breloom stayed down.

"Breloom is unable to continue, Latias wins!" the referee called out.  
Maylay shook her head as she returned her Breloom, and praised it for its hard work. Then she looked at Ash. "Well, that telepathy that you and Latias can use was quite the surprise. It is rare to encounter anybody with such a strong bond with his or her Pokémon. This will make my job harder, but I've dealt with this type of opponent only once before. That was Ross with his Mega-Evolving Pokémon, who you may meet eventually. For now, however you must face my next Pokémon, now GO, HAWLUCHA!" she said. The Pokémon that came out was a black, green, and purple Hawlucha, which entered a lot like Ash's Hawlucha would: with all the flair and fashion of a true luchador.

"Hawlucha vs. Latias. Begin the battle!" the referee called.

_Alright Latias, let's win this one too, but we will see what they do first," _Ash projected through the telepathic link.

_Let's do it_, Latias said as her eyes began to glow with psychic energy.

"Hawlucha, use High Jump Kick!" Maylay called out. Hawlucha sprinted at Latias with incredible speed before leaping high into the air and aiming a knee toward Latias.

_Dodge that then accelerate Hawlucha's descent with Psychic._ Ash thought. Latias waited until the last second then barrel-rolled away from the incoming bird, who was enveloped in psychic energy. At first Latias held him in place, but then Hawlucha was carried higher. When Latias determined that it was high enough to win the battle but not seriously hurt Hawlucha, she used her power to send the bird into the ground at such a speed that it created a sonicboom. Hawlucha crashed into the ground and formed a large crater, clearly knocked out.

"Hawlucha is unable to battle, Latias is the winner!" the referee declared.

The crowd erupted into cheers at Ash's victory. Maylay seemed a bit unhappy about losing Hawlucha so easily, but she had to commend Ash for the apparent strategy he was creating with Latias, but she wasn't going to let it go any further. "Go, Conkeldurr," Maylay called out as the massive, pillar-wielding Pokémon appeared.

"Conkeldurr vs. Latias, begin!" the referee called out.

"Conkeldurr, Mach Punch!" Maylay called out. Conkeldurr's fists and pillars both began to glow white with energy.

_Psychic, and be as creative as you want._ Ash relayed. Latias nodded and began to glow with Psychic energy, gripping Conkeldurr, but for some reason, Latias seemed to be struggling to stop the Conkeldurr's momentum. Just as it seemed that Conkeldurr would actually hit Latias, he began to slow significantly, and his pillar stopped an inch from her. When Conkeldurr noticed this, he began to show worry, which Latias responded to by smiling with almost childish innocence. Conkeldurr and Maylay were both confused until the fighting trainer noticed what looked like posts for a sling shot coming from the ground on the sides of the battlefield on her baseline, and they were made of psychic aura. Then two streams of the aura extended from the posts, and connected in front of Conkeldurr, where they widened to form the sling. Latias grabbed the sling and began to fly higher into the air, angling Conkeldurr to the ground for a more effective shot. Maylay was shocked at the creativity either Ash, this Latias, or both had. That thought barely lasted as the aura ropes became so tense that, had they been elastic, they would have snapped a while ago.

Conkeldurr gave Latias a pleading look, which Latias just shook her head to. _Sorry Conkeldurr, if it's any comfort, it won't be any damage Nurse Joy can't fix in an instant._ Latias projected to her captive. Then, with a wink, she let go of the sling, and Conkeldurr flew faster than the eye could follow, until he was concealed by a large dust cloud directly in front of his trainer. The dust settled and it was clear that Conkeldurr would not be continuing the fight.

"Conkeldurr is unable to battle, Latias is the winner!" the referee called out.

Maylay recalled her Pokémon and sighed. "Ash, that Latias of yours is something else. I am certain that, if you win over my next three Pokémon, you will make it to Ross. Just be warned, while it seems we of the Elite Four are merely practice for you and your team, his team is a quantum leap above myself and the last of the Elite Four. But enough on that topic, it's time for my Machamp to grace us with his prescence!" she said as she tossed out her next Pokéball. Ash smiled when he saw the four-armed beast. It was an iconic fighting type, but it was not going to best Latias. There was no chance.

"Machamp vs. Latias, begin!" the referee called out.

"Machamp, Ice Punch!" Maylay called out. Machamp's four arms were all covered with icy energy before Machamp leapt at Latias.

_Use a Mist Ball followed by Dragon Pulse_ Ash projected. Latias didn't hesitate, firing her first attack, which struck Machamp hard, but it didn't stop the fighter. The next attack, a green and purple beam of energy fired at a high velocity, crashed into Machamp, causing him to do an involuntary backflip, land face-first and slid across the field until he came to a stop at the referee's feet.

Machamp struggled to stand up, all four arms shaking hard, but ultimately, he couldn't support his weight, and he collapsed. "Machamp is unable to battle, Latias is the victor!" the referee called out.

Ash smiled and adjusted his hat. "That's four down, two to go before this round is over." _Latias, you are fighting brilliantly, keep it up!_

Latias turned around and fully faced Ash, before flying back to him and nuzzling him again. _Thank Ash, but you know that it's really you who's winning this._

_It's both of us together, how about that_ Ash thought as he rubbed Latias's neck exactly where she liked it. The crowd once again "Aww'd" but Ash didn't care. He was winning with his Pokémon and all of his human friends in the crowd. Nothing could take his joy at this moment.

"Hey, Ash!" Maylay called out. "I hate to break you two apart, but you still have two of my Pokémon to defeat. Now, I call forth Lucario!" she called out as she released the fighting jackal Pokémon.

_Oh shit, I forgot about the possibility of a Lucario. Psychic and Dragon aren't effective on Steel-types,_ Ash thought

_Well, we can still use water and electric attacks,_ Latias responded, earning a smile from Ash.

_True, and there is that one ground-type attack we've been working on. Want to give that one a try?_

_ Of course._

_ Alright, then use Earthquake!_ Latias was more than happy to follow the orders.

"Lucario vs. Latias, begin!" the referee called out. Latias wasted no time in rearing up and sending a psychic shockwave into the ground, which spread out and broke the ground apart, as it spread out across the field.

"Lucario jump!" Maylay called out. Lucario leapt into the air, just as the shockwave would have hit.

_Use Psychic and throw Lucario back into the ground._ Ash thought.

_You got it Ash_ Latias thought back as her began to glow and she grabbed Lucario with her psychic powers and tossed the jackal into the ground, but rather than just throw her opponent straight back down, Latias threw Lucario at an angle so he would land in front of the Earthquake shockwave. When Lucario landed, he was almost immediately struck by the shockwave, sending him sprawling across the ground. After coming to a rest, it was clear that Lucario was finished.

"Lucario is unable to continue, Latias is the winner!" the referee called out. Maylay recalled Lucario without a second thought, and pulled out her next Pokéball.

"Go! Blaziken!" she called out, not hesitating to send out her fiery fighting chicken-hawk. This one, however, was wearing a metal bracelet with a Blazikenite in the center.

"Blaziken vs. Latias, begin!" the referee called out.

"Blaziken, Mega Evolve!" Maylay called out as she turned the lapel of her gi out to reveal her keystone sewn onto the cloth. A white light covered the entire stadium once more as Blaziken transformed. When the light faded, Blaziken was in her mega form **(Do I really need to describe it?)** "Now use Night Slash!" Blaziken's claws began to glow violet as she charged at Latias.

_Latias, use Mist Ball, stop Blaziken's Night Slash_, Ash thought.

_ Sounds like fun!_ Latias said as she gathered a ball of steam and launched it at Blaziken, who smirked confidently, and slashed it, trying to disperse the steam. Latias would have none of it though, and she tightened her grip on the mist, making it hard as steel, sending Blaziken staggering back, holding her hand that hit the mist.

_Now use Thunderbolt_. Ash projected.

_You got it!_ Latias thought back as she gathered electricity with her wings, and the lightning coalesced on the mark on her head before letting a massive stream of lightning at Blaziken, hitting the fighting type hard. While it was not as effective as Psychic would have been, it did have a bonus effect. It paralyzed Blaziken, slowing her down significantly.

_Now use Psychic again_ Ash thought again. Latias didn't respond this time, she just acted by using her psychic aura to grab and lift Blaziken into the air before throwing the fire Pokémon to the ground, and she did not let go of her target until she was inches from the ground.

But this was a Blaziken, and even though she was paralyzed, her species as a whole was among the most nimble and strong-legged Pokémon alive. So despite her proximity to the ground, Blaziken flipped perfectly, and landed on her feet.

"Great job Blaziken, now use Blaze Kick!" Maylay called out. Within seconds of her command, Latias cried out as Blaziken kicked her across the face with a flaming roundhouse. Ash was confused now. He knew that Blaziken was slower than this a few seconds ago. Why was she so fast now?

"And there you have it folks!" the announcer, "There is Blaziken's hidden ability, Speed Boost. This is one of Maylay's favorite tactics for getting the advantage in a battle!"

Ash heard this, and his eyes went wide. Speed Boost? This would get bad if they didn't end this now. _Latias, you heard that, right?_

_Yeah, this isn't good. What should I do?_ Ash noticed that Latias had a throbbing pain coming from her neck, where the flames hit her, and he knew she had been burned.

_ Start with Refresh to heal that burn, then use Psychic again, and this time, don't let her go until she hits the ground, and make her fall fast!_

_You got it!_

Latias then closed her eyes and her entire body began to glow with a subtle golden light. When that glow stopped, her body took on the blue glow of Psychic energy. Blaziken was lifted into the air once more, but this time, Latias got an idea of her own, which she relayed to Ash.

_Alright, do it, just don't seriously injure Blaziken._

Latias gave Ash a look that seemed to say "Come on, do you know me at all?" She then turned her attention back to the task at hand. That's when Blaziken was launched at the wall at incredible velocity. She crashed into the concrete, making a three inch deep imprint of her body.

The entire audience held their breath as Blaziken stayed motionless for a moment, but gasped in shock when the Pokémon began to pull herself from the wall. Blaziken walked back to the battlefield on slightly unsteady legs, but she was slowly walking with more strength. "FOLKS THIS BATTLE IS STILL ON!" the announcer said with immense excitement.

"Blaziken, use Double Blaze Kick," Maylay called out. Ash could only guess that this incoming attack was a combination of Double Kick and Blaze Kick, but whatever it was, Ash wouldn't let Latias take the hits. His hunch was confirmed when both of Blaziken's feet lit up with flames and the Pokémon charged.

_Latias, use Protect, then we need to finish this with Hyper Beam!_ Ash relayed. Latias immediately threw up the green energy shield just before Blaziken's first kick would have struck. Once the second kick hit the shield, Latias began to gather a sphere of powerful energy. She dropped the shield when Blaziken landed directly in front of her, then fired a purple and black energy beam, which struck Blaziken in the chest with pinpoint accuracy, and the power of a tank shell impact. Blaziken cried out in pain as she once again was thrown into the wall. This time, however, she and Maylay both knew that the battle was over. The small dust cloud settled, and Blaziken could be seen in her normal form, unconscious.

"Blaziken is unable to battle, which means that Latias wins the round, and Ash has won the battle!" the referee called out.

Ash couldn't contain his excitement anymore, and he ran out onto the field to embrace Latias around the neck. _That was incredible Latias, I am so proud of you!_ Ash thought.

All of Ash's friends were cheering loudly for the victory, but none louder than Rachel. She was only a little jealous of the fact that Latias was getting a better hug than she had received from Ash most of the day. That, however, would be able to wait until Ash won over Ross, and Rachel already knew that Ross would struggle to beat Ash now. And should Ash win over her cousin, then she would get to see something new: her father battling somebody other than her uncle. That would be the fight of the century. For now, however, Ash still needed to beat one more Elite Four member. This next one would be a down-to-earth battle. Rachel couldn't wait to see Ash win again.

**Hey everybody, thank you for reading, and as always reviews are welcomed, just keep criticism constructive.**

**Now I need to make a bigger announcement. I have decided to put my Hoenn story on hold for a while as I will be taking a break from FanFiction to write a different type of story. I ultimately hope to get it published. I will still be finishing Ash Goes American, so don't worry about that. I apologize to those of you who really enjoy my writings, but look at it this way: if I write this story at the highest level I can write, then you may be able to read one of my works that isn't a FanFictions (and hopefully it could provide material for more FanFics).**


	34. The Battlefield of Dust

_The Battlefield of Dust_

Ash once again removed his Pokéballs from the healing machine, and awaited his next opponent. Whoever it was, Ash was ready to win again. What he wasn't expecting was for somebody to come out of the crowd and walk up to him, but it was less surprising to see that Rachel was the one who was coming toward him. The security officers were about to stop her, but Ash held his hand up to stop them.

"She's okay guys," Ash said as he hugged Rachel close. "Hey gorgeous, what are you doing out on the field?"

"I just wanted to give you some extra luck before your battle," Rachel said as she wrapped her arms around Ash's neck and planted a kiss onto Ash's lips. This resulted in Gary yelling out "WOOOOOOOOOH!" and the rest of the crowd went into cheers and whistles. When they broke the kiss, Ash couldn't stop smiling. "Now, go win this for us!"

"You've got it," he said. And just as he said that the announcer began to speak once again.

"If the happy couple is done for now, the last of the American Elite Four is ready for the battle," he said. Rachel gave Ash's hand one last squeeze before running back to stands, getting help from Serena and the security to get back up to her spot. Ash had to make a note to himself that her butt looked really good while she was climbing, but that was something he would need to file for later times, namely for after he beat her cousin. "Alright folks; the next battler is the world famous archeologist. He's been studying archeology and history for nearly sixty years, and training Pokémon for just as long. Please welcome the ground type specialist, Dusty!" A man wearing an outfit that would likely be seen on a movie archeologist, walked out of the tunnel where the rest of the elite four had come from. He had white hair and a thick white mustache **(like Jane's father in Tarzan)**. He had a belt full of dig tools and six Pokéballs.

"Well, it seems that my colleagues fell to an amateur," the man said arrogantly. He spoke with a strong accent. He stepped into the trainer's box and pulled out his first Pokéball. "Make no mistake, boy. I will not fall so easily to one so ignorant to the ways of battle."

In the Champion's locker room, Ross had been watching every match so far on his private television, and he heard Dusty talking to Ash. He shook his head. "Dusty I can't believe you're still doing this." While Dusty was aging, his mind was still sharp as a razor blade, and his skill was excellent, but he was best at reading people and seeing how they held up in situations that would set them off.

"Alright, Dusty and Ash, choose your Pokémon!" the referee said.

"Go, Marowak!" Dusty said. Ash simply smiled as he saw the Bone Keeper Pokémon. This would be easier than he thought.

"Let's go Greninja!" Ash called out as he released the ninja frog. Dusty looked overly confident as before. Ash didn't like the attitude he saw, and he meant to knock this man down a few notches.

"Greninja vs. Marowak, begin the match!" the referee called out.

"Marowak, Bone Rush!" Dusty commanded. Marowak sprinted at Greninja, who simply stood with his arms crossed, not moving.

"Greninja, counter that with Water Shuriken," Ash said calmly. Greninja leapt into the air, with his arms out as he created two shuriken from water. He threw them at Marowak, and continued throwing them repeatedly. Marowak had to stop his charge and hold his arms up in a cross formation to defend himself, but he underestimated Greninja's power. The first shuriken sent Marowak's arms and his bone crashing into his face, breaking the defenses. The next one hit his gut, and it was followed by three more that hit in rapid succession. There was an explosion of water around Marowak, sending him flying across the field. He landed at Dusty's feet, defeated.

"Marowak is unable to battle, Greninja is the winner!" the referee called out.

Dusty recalled Marowak with a grimace. "Perhaps your Greninja has some strength, but Greninja is an inherently strong Pokémon. It makes me wonder what will happen if it were to battle a Pokémon who is considered similarly powerful?" Dusty said. "Go, Excadrill!" Then, the drilling mole appeared.

Ash was getting more annoyed by what he was hearing from this man. How was he an Elite trainer with that kind of attitude? No trainer worth anything would consider any Pokémon strong or weak, because every Pokémon has potential to be great. It just needs its trainer to work with it to refine its strengths.

"Greninja vs. Excadrill, begin!" the referee called.

"Excadrill, use Drill Run!" Dusty called out. Excadrill formed a drill and flew at Greninja while spinning rapidly.

"Greninja, dodge. Then, when Excadrill comes out of that Drill Run, use repeating Power-Up Punchs!" Ash called out. Greninja's hands both began to glow with orange light as he stepped to the side, then, as Excadrill passed, he punched the mole Pokémon eight times in the span of two seconds, each punch increasing Greninja's attacking power, maximizing it by the eighth punch. Then Greninja wound up for a ninth punch, and when he hit Excadrill, the Pokémon flew sideways like a bullet into the wall, and there was no chance for a return to the battle.

"Excadrill is unable to battle, Greninja is the winner," the referee called out.

Dusty scoffed. "So, you rely on your Greninja for your wins? Bah, you're just like so many trainers. You rely solely on one powerful Pokémon to save you in a battle. Now I choose Krookodile to show you how outclassed you really are!" he said as he threw his next Pokéball, releasing the dark crocodile.

Ash just glared at Dusty. He was starting to get pissed off. No trainer, not even an Elite Four member, should talk that way. Ash was more determined than ever to beat this arrogant jackass.

"Greninja vs. Krookodile, begin!" the referee called out.

"Greninja, use Quick Attack into Power-up Ice Punch!" Ash said. Greninja didn't waste a moment in responding to the command. A white streak appeared behind the ninja frog as he charged at Krookodile, his right fist covered in an icy orange aura.

"Krookodile, use Super Power!" Dusty called out. Krookodile's body took on a blue glow as he began his own charge at Greninja. Ash smirked confidently. He had wanted Dusty to make that command.

Just before Krookodile would have hit Greninja, Ash called out a single word. "NOW!"

Greninja leapt up and to the left of Krookodile. He punched Krookodile in the back just as he passed directly underneath him **(Like Minato hitting Obito with his Rasengan during Kurama's attack on Konoha)**, sending the crocodile Pokémon into the ground with immense force. Greninja seemed to vanish, only to reappear directly in front of Ash, crouching in wait for the next opponent.

"Krookodile is unable to battle, Greninja is the winner," the referee called out.

Dusty recalled Krookodile with what looked like a scowl. "I can't stand it when punks like you have Pokémon whose strength makes up for your lack of strategy. But my next three Pokémon will make sure you don't win this. Go, Steelix!" he called out.

The massive steel snake appeared, and this one was clearly sturdy enough to take a hard hit, but Ash knew that Greninja could dish out multiple hard hits quickly.

"Greninja vs. Steelix, begin the battle!" the referee called out.

"Steelix, Screech, then Iron Tail!" Dusty called out. Steelix moved its massive head towards Greninja and opened its mouth, and began to make sound so grating that Ash couldn't hear himself think, let alone Greninja hearing his command, but Ash had to try.

"Greninja! If you can hear me, use Water Shuriken Pulse!" Ash said with everything he could muster. Greninja, although he couldn't really hear the command, knew what Ash was saying just because of their bond. He began to gather water in his hand, which seemed to form a sphere. Greninja then threw the sphere forward, and it burst into countless shuriken. Ash smiled at what was happening. Greninja was showing just how strong their bond was, and Steelix had only one way to stop this attack: Iron Tail.

"Steelix stop that Screech and use Iron Tail now!" Dusty called out. Steelix stopped screeching, much to the relief of everybody within earshot, and began to swing his now glowing tail at Greninja.

Ash smiled again. Once more, Dusty fell for his rouse. "Greninja, Agility and another Water Shuriken Pulse!" he called out. Just as Steelix's tail was about to land a hit, Greninja vanished. The frog then reappeared directly above and behind Steelix's head, the sphere of water prepared, but it continued to grow larger even as Greninja sent the sphere careening toward Steelix. Just before the attack hit, it broke apart into just as many shuriken as the previous attack had, and this time, the attack could not be dodged or blocked.

Steelix roared as it was hit hard with the deceptively small shuriken, which erupted with far more water than they should have been carrying. And there were well over one hundred of them raining down on the Pokémon. After about a minute of this, the shuriken stopped coming, Greninja was back on Ash's side of the field, and Steelix was falling hard. The Steel snake crashed into the ground just less than one foot from the audience, and he was clearly done with the battle.

"Steelix is unable to battle, Greninja is the winner!" the referee called. Dusty was already returning Steelix.

Without saying a word this time (thankfully), he pulled out his next Pokéball. "Go Golem!" he called out as he sent out the Megaton Pokémon.

Ash took on a look showing suspicion. Why would Dusty use a Golem? It was too slow to beat Greninja in speed, and the only thing Ash could think of was its sturdy ability, so he could use…NO! No self-respecting trainer would do that unless he had no other options left. If Dusty did what Ash thought he was going to do, then this man really did not deserve his title.

In the stadium, Jordan and Connor were actually trying not to laugh at what they were seeing from Dusty. They knew him too well to believe that he was really this cold of a trainer.

"Well, Ash seems to be passing Dusty's favorite test," Jordan said. "He may very well beat Ross."

"Maybe, but my son is not to be underestimated either," Connor said. "On a different note, you did hear Rachel and Ash while they were at the ranch, didn't you?"

"About what? They talked about a lot of things while they were there," Jordan said.

Connor just smiled. "They don't intend to just stop travelling after Ash's challenge is done here. They want to travel around more so Ash can win every region, and so Rachel can learn more about Pokémon. Honestly, that Kanto native is sounding a lot like you when you were his age."

Jordan smiled. "Yeah, I heard them discussing that. It's kind of a good thing, I guess. Rachel should see the world, and who better to do that with than her best friend, even if that friend is also her boyfriend?" There was a brief pause before Jordan continued. "But what can I say? I guess Arceus likes his Chosen Ones to have similar qualities. Perhaps Arceus made him his Chosen trainer when I retired."

"Well, have you ever considered coming out of retirement?" Connor asked

Jordan gave his brother an inquisitive look, "Why would I do that?"

"Well, you can still take the position of American League Champion if Ash wins the title, but decides to keep traveling. That, of course depends on if Ash can beat Ross," Connor said, sounding as confident as he had been on the day that he first left for his journey so many years ago, and set the trend for their family being the Champions.

Jordan seemed thoughtful for a moment. "We will just have to wait and see," he said. _But it doesn't sound like a bad idea. If nothing else, I can take Dusty's position after his retirement._

"Golem vs. Greninja, begin!" the referee called out.

"Greninja, use Water Shuriken now!" Ash called out with the sound of urgency in his voice. He wanted to win this battle before Dusty gave the dangerous command that Ash now knew was coming. Greninja picked up on that and wasted no time in gathering two shuriken in his hands. He leapt into the air and began to throw them as fast as he could. He was on-target, but Dusty's command came too fast, but it wasn't what Ash was expecting.

"Golem, use Rock Blast!" Dusty called out. Ash sighed in relief. Perhaps there was still hope for this man. He may be arrogant, but he still seemed to care for his Pokémon at the very least.

"Golem is unable to continue, Greninja is the winner," the referee said.

"Return Golem," he said. "Well, it's time for my final Pokémon, and you will not beat this one. Go Garchomp!" he called out as he sent out a dragon almost exactly like Ash's, but this one is a female. She also had a necklace with Garchompite in its center.

Ash was a bit skeptical that Dusty could mega evolve, but he didn't ignore the possibility.

"Greninja vs. Garchomp, begin!" the referee said.

"Garchomp, Mega-Evolve!" Dusty said as he touched the keystone on his belt. The stadium filled with light, and Garchomp changed her form, and looked ready to help her trainer win this battle. She seemed a bit unaware of what had just happened.

"Greninja, let's make this quick with Ice Beam into an Ice Punch!" Ash called out. "It's high-time I face Ross." Greninja looked back at his trainer and smirked confidently. It seemed Greninja shared that sentiment. He gathered icy energy around both hands and then thrust them forward, letting loose an Ice Beam. That attack was blindingly fast, striking Garchomp directly in the chest. The attack clearly did a lot of damage, but Ash had to be sure that this match was over, or Dusty might make a command that would harm his own Pokémon.

"Garchomp, counter Ice Punch with a Dragon Claw!" Dusty called out, sounding slightly different from before. It sounded like he was chuckling about something. Ash wasn't sure why, but he didn't worry about it.

"Greninja, duck under that Dragon Claw and hit give Garchomp an uppercut Ice Punch!" Ash said. Greninja waited until the last moment to duck down, narrowly avoiding scythe-like hands, before leaping up, using his powerful legs to accelerate himself, with his ice-covered hand leading the way. The punch landed hard, sending Garchomp through the air, before she landed at Dusty's feet. Surprisingly, Garchomp managed to stand up again, albeit she was shaking a great deal.

"Garchomp, I know you're hurting right now, but I know you can give just a little more. Just stay with me a little longer, and use Draco Meteor!" Dusty said. Ash was thoroughly shocked now. What was going on? Was this the same man that had begun this battle? But that didn't matter now. Ash watched as Garchomp gathered the energy needed to fire off the orange sphere of energy. In the crowd, Ash noticed Dawn's Piplup, who stayed outside his Pokéball, cowering in fear of that attack. He couldn't help but feel bad for the little penguin, since it kind of was Ash's Garchomp who caused that fear.

"Greninja, when it starts falling, use Agility to dodge, and then use one last Ice Punch!" Ash called out. Greninja adjusted his tongue scarf, preparing for what would be the last attack of this battle. When the meteor broke apart and began to fall, Greninja started moving quickly. He expertly dodged every one of the meteor, gathering ice energy on his hand once more as he moved around the field. As soon as the last meteor landed, Greninja leapt toward Garchomp. He got to the Mega-Evolved Dragon, and punched the dragon across the face, sending her into the wall and sending up a cloud of dust. The cloud cleared, and it was clear that Garchomp was out of the fight, as she reverted to her normal form.

"Garchomp is unable to battle, Greninja, and thus Ash Ketchum, wins the battle. This means that Ash will be continuing on to face the Champion Ross after a ten minute intermission," the referee called out. The crowd roared with excitement. It had been years since the American Region had seen Ross battling, but it was always a treat for them to watch when he did.

Ash decided that he needed to talk to Dusty, so he recalled Greninja and was about to approach the leader of the Elite Four, but he saw that the man was already almost to him. "Well, it seems that you passed my test," the archeologist said.

"Wait, your test?" Ash asked, confused.

"Yes. I have heard how much you care for your Pokémon, and believe that all Pokémon have the potential to be great. I wanted to see how you would handle facing a trainer who didn't share that same feeling. You performed most admirably, by keeping a level head and battling the way you always do. You are truly ready to battle Ross," he said with a smile and by patting Ash's shoulder. "I wish you the best of luck. While you seem to have had no trouble against the Elite Four, Ross is much farther above us in skill. He's got the same genes that made his father and uncle the most powerful American League Champions, and he's getting close to besting his father's abilities. A little bit longer and he may even top his uncle."

"Well thank you for your vote of confidence, but I've already battled Ross's Chesnaught with my Pikachu before he evolved," Ash said. "I almost won back then, so I should be able to win this time, since Chesnaught is his first, and probably his strongest Pokémon."

Dusty raised an eyebrow, "Did Ross tell you that Chesnaught was his first Pokémon?" he asked.

"Yeah, and so did Rachel," Ash said, slightly confused. "Is that not true?"

"Technically it is true, it was his official starter because he didn't have Pokéballs until he got his Chespin," Dusty said. "His true starter Pokémon was one that he met when he was young."

"And what Pokémon would that be?" Ash asked.

"I won't say exactly what it is, but I will say that she is his Mega Evolution," Dusty said. "And that one Pokémon is beyond anything I have ever seen in her species, maybe even both of her types."

That was a bit daunting to Ash, but he had faced those odds before. So long as this wasn't like Tobias in the Sinnoh League, Ash could still win it.

**Hey everybody, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, but now there comes the question about who Ross's first Pokémon really is.**

**Now, on to an announcement: I know I am getting a bit indecisive here, but I figured that I can write that other story while I am working on the Hoenn story. So, I will be continuing my writing on this site. Sorry for the scare with last chapter's announcement.**

**As always, please leave constructive reviews, because they are always helpful. Thank you all for sticking with this story the whole way, but unfortunately there are only 2 chapters left. I promise that they will be the two most intense battles of this entire story, and they will be long chapters if need be.**


	35. The Champion Match

_The Champion Match_

The sun had set, and night had fallen over the American Region. That didn't seem to matter to Ash right now. He was nervous, despite looking calm and ready on the surface. He would be facing a champion for only the second time in his life, and he had no idea what to expect from Ross's team. All he had to go on was his battle with Chesnaught, which he now knew was not Ross's best, and rumors. "Rai-Raichu?" Raichu asked, noticing Ash's concern.

"Yeah, I'm okay. It's just like when I battled Diantha. It's just my nerves," Ash said. He knew that he and his Pokémon should have the strength needed to win his next match, but he had no clue how he would do it.

Well, he didn't have to wait for the match to start for very long, because the announcer began his final announcement for the day. "Alright, ladies and gentlemen, the time has come for the final battle. Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town is already on the field, and with his win streak today, one must wonder if we will be bearing witness to the crowning of a new Champion before today ends. That will remain to be seen as we welcome the American League Champion," he said. That was when all the lights in the stadium went out and multicolored lights shot up from the sides of the stadium walls, almost like at a concert. "He's currently undefeated, and has barely needed to use even half of his Pokémon to defeat a challenger!" The trainer's box on the Elite Four/Champion side split open and gave way to another platform, and the new one had Ross standing in the center. "Here he is ladies and gentlemen! He's your current Champion, Ross!" As that was said, two jets of flames shot up beside the champion, burning bright and lighting the entire stadium up briefly before dying down and the lights of the stadium coming back on.

Ross wore an outfit similar to Ash's, but he wore dark green where Ash wore blue, but he wore no hat. He wore no gloves, but he did have a bracelet with a Keystone in it, much like Ash's. One thing that stood out was a lone Pokéball that hung around his neck, while the rest were on his belt. Ross had a very serious expression, because deep down, he knew that this could be his last battle as the Champion. He didn't want to lose his title, under any circumstances, and he was not to be intimidated by the prospect of losing. That would only slow his judgment and reaction time, which he could not afford.

"Well Ash, I haven't seen you since San Danga. I know you have been training a great deal since our battle in Forestra, and the way you won in your matches with the Elite Four showed that you are not to be underestimated," Ross said. "Therefore, I will hold nothing back in our battle. Ready yourself, because the last time we battled wasn't even a fraction of my true strength."

"Are both of you ready?" the referee asked.

"Yes," both Ash and Ross said simultaneously.

"Then send out your first Pokémon!"

Ross pulled out his first Pokéball, "Go, Aurorus!" he called as he released the ice dinosaur.

Ash followed suit. "Go Greninja!" he called, releasing the ninja frog.

"Greninja vs. Aurorus, the champion has the first attack. Now begin!" the referee called out.

"Aurorus, Stealth Rock!" Ross called out. Aurorus cried out and stomped on the ground, sending stones into the air, and they continued to hover around Ash's side of the field.

"I see; entry hazards. You are trying to keep me from switching my Pokémon mid-round," Ash said. "Well then, Greninja, use Hydro Pump!" Greninja's hands went back and gathered an orb of water before letting loose a gigantic stream of water. The attack hit Aurorus, but for some reason, it seemed that the attack wasn't doing much. That was when Ash saw green energy surrounding Aurorus, and it resembled the energy of Protect, only it conformed to the Pokémon's body.

"Great job Aurorus, way to defend yourself," Ross said. "Now, use Dragon Tail!" Aurorus's tail turned light green and extended as she swung it around, slamming it into Greninja. Ash couldn't believe what he had seen. While the attack was expected, the speed of that Aurorus was not. It moved much faster than any Aurorus that Ash had ever seen before.

After Greninja slid across the field on his feet, he turned red and returned to his Pokéball on Ash's belt. Then, from another Pokéball, Garchomp was released, but he was immediately hurt by the Stealth Rocks. _Oh no, he can force my Pokémon to switch out, and if he gets Charizard to switch out…_ Ash thought. "Alright, we can still win this Garchomp. Use Iron Head!" he called out.

Garchomp roared as his head began to glow like metal. He sprinted across the field before leaping into the air and flying at Aurorus. The attack hit hard, but Aurorus was still standing. "You'll have to do better than that, Ash," Ross said. "For example, Aurorus, use Echoed Voice!" Aurorus cried out, creating a sonic ring, but it looked too icy to be a normal Echoed Voice. That's when Ash remembered Aurorus's ability, Refrigerate.

"Garchomp, use Protect, now!" Ash said. "When that attack goes by, use Earthquake!" Garchomp crossed his arms, throwing up a green shield just as Echoed Voice passed by. The attack dissipated around the land shark, who stomped the ground, creating a powerful earthquake, which caused rocks to shoot up from the ground underneath the dinosaur. Aurorus cried out as the stones hit her underbelly, face, and legs. Aurorus was knocked back and she fell onto her side, creating a small cloud of dust.

"Aurorus is unable to continue, Garchomp is the winner!" the referee said. Ash let out the breath he didn't know he was holding. The first round was his.

"Well Ash, that was a good reaction," Ross said as he recalled Aurorus. "I can already tell this is gearing up to be a great battle. It may even be the greatest in American Region history, just shy of my dad and my uncle's battle that took place in this stadium."

Ash saw a confident smile across Ross's face, and he could do nothing but smile back. "Well, we have the audience. Let's aim to top their battle, and give these people something to remember us by," he said. Ross nodded to his challenger as he pulled his next Pokéball from his belt.

"Then let's continue it without too many delays," Ross said. "Now, go! Greninja!" Ash was startled to see another Greninja, much like his own except for the fact that this one was all black. "Now Ash, before we continue, my Greninja is not like others. He has a…unique ability. I'd tell you, but that would spoil all the fun of watching you figure it out for yourself."

"Greninja vs. Garchomp, begin!" the referee called out.

"Garchomp, use Brick Break!" Ash called out. Garchomp's arm began to glow brightly as he ran toward the ninja frog.

"Greninja, dodge and use Gunk Shot!" Ross called out. Ash was shocked when he saw a sudden purple glow cover Greninja, which faded as a massive blob of sludge appeared in Greninja's palms and he threw it at the fast-approaching Garchomp. The attack struck Garchomp hard, harder than it should have coming from a Greninja, and it sent Garchomp sprawling. "Now use Ice Beam!" Ross said. This time, and icy aura surrounded the Greninja before he unleashed a stream of ice at Garchomp, hitting the dragon directly in the chest, and freezing it in a block of ice.

"Garchomp, NO!" Ash called out. This attack, like the Gunk Shot, was more powerful than it should have been, coming from a Greninja. "Try to break out, I know you can!" There was no response from the dragon.

"Finish this with Dark Pulse!" Ross said. A black aura surrounded Greninja now, as he unleashed a ray of black rings. The rings struck Garchomp in the chest, shattering the ice and sending the dragon flying across the field, and it crashed hard at Ash's feet.

"Garchomp is unable to battle, Greninja is the winner!" the referee called out. Ash went wide-eyed. Every one of Greninja's attacks were far more powerful than they should have been.

"Garchomp, return!" Ash said as he recalled the dragon. "You did a great job, and you've earned a long rest."

"Well Ash, have you figured it out?" Ross asked. "I'll tell you anyway. My Greninja's ability is Protean, which changes his type to that of the attack he is using. That means no matter what, he will always have higher power behind his attacks."

Ash nodded in understanding. This was a game-changer, but he could win that game if he played smart. "I see, well that is just one more challenge that I will be overcoming today. GO, Sceptile!" he called out. The wood gecko appeared with his iconic twig in his mouth and a cool posture, until he felt the effects of the Stealth Rocks, which did some damage.

"I see, so this is your Sceptile. I have been looking forward to battling this one," Ross said with a smile. "Good, I've wanted to see his strength in person ever since I saw your match against Tobias in the Lily of the Valley Conference."

"You saw that match?" Ash asked.

"Yes, and I was very impressed with what I saw from you. You honestly should have won that conference, because any trainer who hides behind nothing but legendary Pokémon is not worthy of being called anything but a coward," Ross said. "But that's for another time. Let's continue this battle!"

"Greninja vs. Sceptile, begin!" the referee called.

"Sceptile, use Agility, and then Bullet Seed!" Ash said. Sceptile began to move at incredible speeds around the field, and began to fire bullet seed at Greninja.

"Ice Beam!" Ross called out calmly. Greninja once again took on an icy blue aura before firing a stream of ice, hitting and countering the incoming seeds before extending and continuing to Sceptile.

"Sceptile, dodge and use Focus Blast!" Ash called out. Sceptile jumped to the right, narrowly avoiding the incoming attack, before firing a sphere of yellow energy at Greninja at a fast pace. The attack looked like it would hit, but Greninja had other plans. Without a command, he leapt nearly ten feet off the ground, going into a front flip before landing behind Sceptile.

"Sceptile, use Leaf Storm now!" Ash called out.

"Greninja, use Ice Beam!" Ross said. At the same time, Sceptile and Greninja both used their attacks, Sceptile's leaves hitting Greninja hard, while the Ice Beam took its toll on Sceptile. When the attacks ended, both Greninja and Sceptile were on the ground, knocked out.

"Both Sceptile and Greninja are unable to battle, this battle is a draw!" the referee called out.

"Well, this is a first," Ross said. "I have never tied with an opponent's Pokémon before, but that won't happen again. Go, Volcarona!" He threw his next Pokéball, releasing the fire moth.

Ash thought for a moment. Garchomp would have been perfect for this, but he was out of the fight already. So, that left him with some other options. Greninja was available, but there would still be risk involved with sending a dark type to face a bug type. Granted, a water type would have an advantage over the fire type. He also had Latias, Charizard, and Raichu, but of them, only Charizard had the flying type advantage, but with Stealth Rocks out, Ash did not want to use Charizard until that was dealt with.

"Well, I choose Greninja!" Ash called out, sending out the ninja frog, who had recovered since the Dragon Tail he took from Aurorus earlier.

"Greninja vs. Volcarona, begin!" the referee called out.

"Volcarona, Quiver Dance!" Ross said. Volcarona began moving its wings and body, creating a yellow-green glow around the bug.

"Greninja, use Hydro Pump!" Ash called out. Greninja didn't need to be told twice, as he unleashed a massive torrent of water at Volcarona.

"Quiver Dance again!" Ross called out. Volcarona continued with his movements, his glowing continuing as well. Hydro Pump hit Volcarona perfectly, and Ash smiled. At least, he did until he saw Volcarona still standing (flying really) and looked almost unscathed.

"How?" Ash asked.

Ross simply smiled confidently. "Quiver Dance is a powerful move," he said. "It's probably the single most powerful stat boosting move to date."

Ash gritted his teeth. He remembered now just how dangerous Quiver Dance can be, as it boosted speed as well as both special stats. This put Greninja into a very difficult spot, he could use more physical attacks, but those weren't Greninja's strong suit. Oh well, he would need to make do with that.

"Greninja, use Water Shuriken Pulse," Ash said. Greninja nodded and leapt into the air, gathering a sphere of water before hurling it at breakneck speeds. Just before it got halfway to Volcarona, the sphere broke up into multiple smaller shuriken.

"Volcarona use Protect," Ross said. The moth created a sphere of green energy, blocking every shuriken. "Now Giga Drain." Ash's eyes went wide with fear as a massive glowing green root extended toward Greninja from Volcarona.

"Greninja, use Substitute," Ash commanded. "Then use Toxic!" A cloud of smoke erupted around Greninja. It cleared, revealing just a substitution doll, which Volcarona's attack struck, doing enough damage to destroy the doll. But that just left Volcarona searching for Greninja.

"Volcarona, behind you!" Ross called out, but it was a second too late. Greninja had appeared behind Volcarona, with a ball of sludge in his hand. That was when he grabbed Volcarona, turned the moth around and slapped it across the face repeatedly, ensuring that the toxin got into the bug's mouth.

"Greninja, use a close-ranged Water Shuriken!" Ash called. Greninja grinned, forming multiple shuriken in one hand before whipping them at Volcarona. The fire bug turned a sickly color and made a pained cry as the shuriken and toxin both took their toll. This bug was tough, though. It would not let itself be beaten unless it could not move.

"Volcarona, if you can, use Giga Drain," Ross said. Volcarona responded, letting loose three green roots that flew at the frog. They almost made it…almost. When they were inches from Greninja, they stopped moving and lost their glow. Volcarona fell to the ground, defeated.

"Volcarona is unable to continue; Greninja is the winner!" the referee said.

Ross recalled his Pokémon, he still looked confident as he thanked Volcarona for not giving up. His confidence, however, came from the knowledge that his next Pokémon would likely finish Greninja with ease. "Well Ash, you've already met my next Pokémon, so I hope you enjoy the reunion. Go Chesnaught!" he called as he sent out what Ash now knew to be his second Pokémon.

"Chesnaught vs. Greninja, begin!" the referee called out.

"Greninja, keep your distance from Chesnaught," Ash called out. Greninja nodded in acknowledgment. "Alright, then use Ice Beam!"

"Chesnaught, Seed Bomb!" Ross said sternly. Greninja launched a steady stream of ice at Chesnaught, but it was only to be stopped by Chesnaught firing off multiple seeds from his back, which exploded, blocking Greninja's attack entirely.

Ash gritted his teeth. Chestnaught was naught going to be easy to beat **(I know, awful pun, I've already kicked myself for making it)**. One of the things he remembered from the first time he and Raichu battled Chesnaught was that this thing was both bulky and a strong attacker. Greninja, on the other hand, was agile and was better with special attacks. The type disadvantage didn't help either.

"You seem to have a lot on your mind Ash, perhaps I should show you why you need to focus on the battle, rather than your strategy," Ross said. "Chesnaught use Wood Hammer!" Chesnaught's arms both began to glow a forest-green as the Pokémon jumped toward Greninja. It was faster than it should have been, but not quite as fast as Greninja.

"Greninja, Substitute, then Ice Beam!" Ash called out. Greninja once again disappeared into smoke, only to be replaced with a substitution doll. Chesnaught, however, was not going to be fooled. He had seen this too many times before. When he got to the doll, instead of using his arms, he simply kicked it so hard that it flew clearly out of the stadium. Ash's eyes went wide as he saw Chesnaught turn around to his left, while swinging his right arm for more momentum, going right for where Greninja was about to be. Greninja was caught completely unaware when he reappeared behind Chesnaught only to be struck by a hammer fist shrouded in grass energy. Greninja couldn't even cry out as his body broke through the dirt, forming a crater. Chesnaught seemed to have only taken minimum damage from the recoil as the dust cleared.

"Greninja is unable to battle, Chesnaught is the winner!" the referee called out. Ash could not believe what he was seeing. Chesnaught was nowhere near this strong the last time they battled. Was it possible that the Pokémon had just been holding back in their first battle?

_No, this is no time to be thinking about that_ Ash thought as he recalled Greninja. _I just need to go at this thing with a type advantage._ Ash grabbed Latias's Pokéball.

"It's your turn Latias!" Ash called out as he released the Eon Pokémon.

_Let's do this Ash, just like we've always done so far_, Latias said to him.

_Just don't underestimate this opponent; he's a league of his own right now._

_You got it, now let's have some fun with this_. Ash smiled at how Latias was always so light-hearted and easy-going.

"Latias vs. Chesnaught, begin!" the referee called out.

"Chesnaught, Pin Missle!" Ross called out. The large pins on Chesnaught's back began to glow green before they fired multiple balls of energy at Latias.

_Dodge that and use Psychic!_ Ash called out. Latias responded as he commanded. Latias simply flew up at an angle, dodging the incoming attack almost with ease. Her eyes began to glow with Psychic energy. Shortly thereafter, Chesnaught took on that same glow, and he looked nervous. He was then lifted high into the air, before being dropped. The Pokémon began to flail as he fell, but then Ross gave his next command.

"Chesnaught, surround yourself with Spiky Shield!" the grass fighter did as he was told, forming a sphere of green energy that looked like Protect at first, but then multiple spikes formed in the barrier. Chesnaught's spiky ball crashed into the ground, making a crater, but there was no evidence about what had happened to the Pokémon inside the shield. Then the barrier fell, revealing that Chesnaught was still standing strong.

_Use Defog, then Ice Beam_ Ash projected to Latias.

_You got it_ Latias replied. Her body began to glow as a clear mist covered the field, removing the Stealth Rocks, and dropping Chesnaught's evasion. She gathered icy blue energy in front of her maw before she unleashed it. The attack came fast, striking Chesnaught in the chest, but Chesnaught was too sturdy for that. All that resulted from the attack was Chesnaught staggering and falling to his knee with some ice spread across his torso.

Ross smiled. "Well Ash, I like your style, but this round is only just beginning," he said.

"I disagree," Ash said with a smirk. "I think it's about to end right now!" _Use Calm Mind, then another Ice Beam! _Latias's body began to glow a soothing blue color as she closed her eyes, focusing her mind. When she opened her eyes, there was more power within them. She then fired off another, more powerful Ice Beam, this one sending Chesnaught across the field, freezing it solid. _Finish this with Psyshock!_ Suddenly, blue lightning bolts appeared and struck Chesnaught, breaking the ice and causing an explosion. Chesnaught flew out of the smoke and landed in a heap at Ross's feet.

"Chesnaught is unable to battle, Latias is the winner!" the referee called out.

Ross recalled Chesnaught with a sigh. "You know Ash, you are the best opponent I have ever faced in a battle. I think a great rivalry between the two of us has been created today, but I still have two more trump cards up my sleeve. Go Salamence!" he said as he threw a Pokéball from his belt. This was his fifth Pokémon.

The blue dragon with red wings appeared, and it was luckily not wearing a Mega Stone. Nevertheless, it was still a menacing size. But it didn't seem to be utilizing the usual Intimidate ability. _Uh oh, does this Salamence have a hidden ability like Greninja had?_ Ash thought. He searched his mind for what other ability Salamence could have, and finally remembered after about a minute of thinking. Moxie. If Latias didn't win or tie against this Salamence, then this battle could be over right now.

"Salamence vs. Latias, begin!" the referee called out.

"Salamence, use Dragon Dance!" Ross said. Salamence took flight as he was surrounded in a red and black aura, gathering speed and attack strength.

_Use rapid fire Ice Beams and don't let Salamence get close!_ Ash thought.

_I can do that_ Latias responded. Ash nodded confidently as he watched Latias gather both icy energy, and fire multiple bursts of the energy, almost like a Gatling gun.

"Dragon Rush!" Ross called out. Salamence's body became shrouded in dragon fire as he flew at incredible speeds at Latias. He flew through the Ice Beams like they were nothing, and slammed into the Eon Pokémon with immense force. Latias, while she had strong defenses, did not come out of that impact without being seriously dazed.

_Arceus damn it, that hurt like a bitch_ Latias thought, earning a shocked expression from Ash, who had never knowingly heard his Pokémon swear before. Latias must have picked up on this because she immediately began apologizing to Ash, who just chuckled at his Pokémon's antics.

_Hey Latias, use Dragon Pulse to get even with Salamence_ Ash said back. Latias agreed without hesitation as she launched a powerful beam of purple and green energy, which was combined with dragon fire.

"Salamence, dodge that and then use Dragon Claw!" Ross commanded. Salamence flew over the incoming Dragon Pulse, taking only a grazing hit. His front claws began to burn orange with power as he flew at Latias with immense force. Ash smiled grimly, if Latias was going to lose, he would have her leave Salamence a parting gift.

_Latias, you've fought bravely, but let's give Salamence something to remember this battle by. Hit him with Draco Meteor!_ Ash relayed to Latias. The Pokémon gave Ash a confident look as she gathered an immense amount of energy in her chest. She then fired the ball of energy into the sky, where it burst into many smaller spheres. She improvised a little bit and used psychic to direct the attack entirely at Salamence. Just as Salamence began to swing his mighty claws, the meteors struck him in the back. Unfortunately, the Dragon Claw attack still came through with enough force to send Latias into the ground with Salamence, kicking up a massive cloud of dust.

Ash knew that Latias had fainted before the smoke even cleared, but he waited for the official call. "Both Salamence and Latias are unable to continue, this round is a draw," the referee said. Sure enough, both contestants were out of it. Ash smiled this meant he had two Pokémon left, while Ross had only one. But then, this Pokémon was going to be Ross's mega-evolution and probably his first Pokémon.

Both Ash and Ross recalled their dragons as they prepared for the next round. "Well Ash, it has been a long time since I was forced to use my real starter Pokémon. Are you ready to face her? You'd better be, because she will destroy you if you don't battle at your highest possible level," Ross said as he unhooked the Pokéball on his necklace.

Ash similarly grabbed his next Pokéball. Normally, he would have saved Charizard for last, but seeing as how this next opponent would be a Mega-Evolved Pokémon, he figured using his own Mega-Evolution would be his best chance to win, hopefully. "I choose you, Charizard!" he called out as he sent out the Kanto fire-type.

Ross held his Pokéball close to his face. "Alright my friend, you're my last chance to win this. I know you won't let me down," he said. Ross then threw the Pokéball, yelling "Go Gardevoir!" Ash's eyes went wide. Would this be a repeat of his battle with Diantha: a final battle against a mega-evolved Gardevoir? No, he would not fail in this battle, no matter what.

That was when the Emotion Pokémon appeared, although her hair was longer than that of any Gardevoir Ash had seen. The green hair was down to her mid-back, and it was relatively straight. _Well hello there Ash, Ross has told me that we would be battling you soon,_ said a voice that echoed through the stadium. _I must say, that Charizard of yours looks almost as strong as me._ Ash realized that Gardevoir was using telepathy to project her voice through the stadium.

"Ladies and Gentlemen be ready for a rare battle indeed, because Ross has never needed to resort to his Gardevoir for a battle. She is his strongest Pokémon, and she is known for sweeping entire teams. Let us see if she will maintain her win streak, or will Ash be her first loss?" the announcer said.

_Don't count on winning this, Ash_. Gardevoir said playfully.

"Gardevoir vs. Charizard, begin!" the referee called out.

"Gardevoir/Charizard, Mega Evolve!" Ash and Ross said simultaneously. Gardevoir and Charizard were both covered in brilliant white light as they began to take on their mega forms. Charizard took on his black and blue dragon form, while Gardevoir's dress became larger and her hair began to curl around the ear spikes. She also grew a second chest spike, and it seemed like a pair of gloves formed on her hands. This brought back memories from when Ash battled Diantha and her Mega Gardevoir, except this Gardevoir's hair was still much longer than Diantha's, and she actually looked much stronger.

_I love this form so much_ Gardevoir said. _I always feel so beautiful._ Ross chuckled.

"Alright Gardevoir, let's get this battle started," Ross said.

_Alright, let's do this!_ Gardevoir said, but she didn't seem to have a serious demeanor.

"Charizard, Flare Blitz!" Ash called out. Charizard was covered in blue flames as he flew at Gardevoir quickly. That was when Gardevoir's demeanor changed; now, she looked pissed.

_How dare you!_ Gardevoir said, holding her hand up and causing Charizard to stop suddenly. _Ladies First!_ She flicked her wrist, moving her hand toward the ground, and Charizard was thrown with incredible force into the dirt.

Ash was shocked to say the least, and even though he knew Charizard could take that hit, Gardevoir's power seemed to be off the charts. The only other Pokémon that had ever stopped any of Charizard's attacks was Mewtwo, and that attack was a flamethrower, not Charizard himself, and Charizard wasn't Mega-Evolved, or even close to his current strength. And it didn't help that Gardevoir seemed to have a sassy personality, which could get annoying eventually.

"Charizard, come on buddy, I know you can get up," Ash called out. "I need you to use Flamethrower!" Charizard, who hated to be bested in any contest, glared at Gardevoir before unleashing a massive jet of blue fire.

"Gardevoir, use Psychic and send that right back," Ross said. Gardevoir raised her hand once more, this time it stopped the fire momentarily, before that same fire took a U-Turn **(not the attack)** and flew right back at Charizard.

"Charizard, take that fire and combine it with a spinning Steel Wing!" Ash said. Gardevoir's eyes went wide, as did Ross's. This would be a powerful combination attack if it hit.

"Gardevoir, use Hyper Voice to counter!" Ross said.

_Oh man, this one always strains my throat,_ Gardevoir said before clearing her throat and unleashing an incredibly powerful and almost musical sound. That cry sent out a massive conical sonic wave, which had a pearl tint to it, showing the Pixilate ability in action.

Charizard was already spinning like a drill, his wings shining like polished steel, they had blue flames streaming from them, and he was flying at the incoming Hyper Voice. "Push through it, Charizard," Ash called out. Charizard heard and trusted his trainer. He flew straight into the center of Hyper Voice. The attack hurt, but Charizard knew he needed to land a successful attack.

And land a successful hit, he did. Charizard slammed into the Psychic Pokémon with a great deal of force, the fire striking after the steel-type attack.

_AAAHHHOOWW!_ Gardevoir said as she stood up holding her side that was hit with the attack. _That really hurt, you jerk! You need to learn some manners!_ With that, Gardevoir reached out and grabbed Charizard with Psychic, stopping him from moving back toward Ash. Charizard roared in protest as he was held in place. _Now take this!_ Gardevoir said as she gathered lunar energy and firing it at Charizard, performing a perfect Moonblast. Charizard was struck in the stomach with the Moonblast, exploding and throwing Charizard into the ground again. A cloud of dust kicked up momentarilty, but Charizard stood up and opened his wings, clearing the dust.

"Nice job, Charizard!" Ash praised his Pokémon for his resilience. "Now, show those two your Blast Burn!" Charizard roared and gathered a large ball of blue fire at Gardevoir. That sphere got within inches of Gardevoir before erupting into a blazing inferno. Ash thought that Gardevoir was hit by the attack, until he noticed that there was a ring around Gardevoir where the flames didn't even reach. "Shit!" Ash said, "Charizard, I need to you to use Steel Wing as soon as you can," Ash called out. Charizard, who was still recovering from using Blast Burn, flapped his wings, which took on a metallic shimmer. He flew at Gardevoir, who flicked her hand toward the wall of the stadium, causing Charizard's course to redirect toward the wall and accelerate exponentially. Charizard slammed head-first into the wall, and there came the glow of Charizard reverting to his normal form, Charizard had been beaten.

"Charizard is unable to battle, Gardevoir is the winner!" the referee called out.

_Well, that was easier than I expected_ Gardevoir said. _Ross, you told me this would be a tough battle, what gives?_

"Hey, he managed to beat the rest of my team, and he still has one more Pokémon, and that one is his starter," Ross said.

_I see it, that Raichu doesn't look like much, to be honest_ Gardevoir said, almost being cocky.

Raichu glared at Gardevoir and leapt from Ash's shoulder, he was ready to battle and show off how strong he had grown since evolving. He would win this for Ash, even if he couldn't mega evolve.

"Raichu vs. Gardevoir, begin!" the referee called out.

"Gardevoir, you know how to handle this," Ross said.

_Of course, this battle is ours_ Gardevoir said with a smile.

"Raichu, Double Team, then Volt Tackle!" Ash said. Raichu sprinted at Gardevoir, and created about thirty illusory versions of himself, and all of those illusions began to gather electricity around themselves. What really surprised everybody, except for Ash, was just how fast Raichu was running. It seemed like his speed was not physically possible for a Raichu. Gardevoir didn't seem to have enough time to react. At least, that's how it appeared.

_Hold it right there mister!_ Gardevoir said, as she held up her hand, stopping most of Raichu's clones. Two, however, escaped her grip, and both were able collide with her. And one of the two Raichus was the real one. Volt Tackle seemed to damage Gardevoir significantly, but Raichu, who did a backflip and landed in front of Ash, staggered and fell to his knee from the recoil damage. _OWWW, why is it only the really strong attacks that hit me?_ Gardevoir said. _Alright, let's step this up._

Gardevoir closed her eyes, and her whole body was covered in a light blue aura. Ash's eyes went wide. He knew that she was using Calm Mind. He needed to end this immediately, otherwise he would lose.

"Raichu, use Quick Attack and transition to Iron Tail!" Ash called out. Pikachu sprinted at Gardevoir, a white light streaking out from behind it and his tail shimmering like polished steel. Luckily, Gardevoir's eyes were still closed as Raichu closed the distance between them.

Raichu leapt into the air and began to spin around, whipping his tail at Gardevoir. The Emotion Pokémon, however, opened her eyes at the last second, her eyes glowing blue and Raichu stopped in midair. The momentum on Raichu's tail, however, carried the Iron Tail attack through. Gardevoir staggered as she was hit with the super effective move, but her grip on Raichu did not loosen. Ash smiled. This gave him a much better chance than he had hoped for. Gardevoir glared at Raichu. _You'll pay for that_ Gardevoir said to Raichu.

"I don't think so!" Ash called out. "RAICHU, USE YOUR MOST POWERFUL THUNDERBOLT!" Raichu smiled. He gathered an immense amount of lightning. It was far more than Ash had ever seen in the past.

"RAAAAAIIICHUUUUU!" Raichu cried out as he unleashed the voltage at point-blank range. Gardevoir was hit with so much electricity that she could do nothing but cry out in pain. The electricity filled the stadium and it even hit one of the light fixtures, making it turn off. When the lightning stopped, Raichu was released from the Psychic hold and he landed confidently on his feet. Gardevoir, who had smoke coming from her dress and body, was still glaring at Raichu.

_That hurt like the Distortion World. You know, as much as I hate you for that, I respect you a lot. That was a really good battle, Raichu, _Gardevoir said. With that she reverted to her normal form and collapsed to the ground.

"Gardevoir is unable to continue, Raichu is the winner. This means that the challenger, Ash Ketchum, is the victor and therefore, is the new American League Champion!" the referee called out. Ash was in shock for a moment before he realized what just happened. He broke out into a massive smile as he ran out onto the field catching Raichu as the Pokémon leapt into his arms. The crowd erupted into cheers, celebrating the crowning of a new Champion. Ross came up to Gardevoir, and picked her up.

"Hey, you okay?" Ross said to her as she regained consciousness.

_Yeah, I'm fine, a bit disappointed that I let you down there, but I will recover._ She said.

"Hey, you fought really hard. You didn't let me down, you made me proud to be your trainer," Ross said before he helped her up. With that, Ross walked over to Ash and extended his hand.

"Great battle and congratulations on that victory," Ross said. "I would not have expected Raichu's Thunderbolt to be that powerful. As much as I hate to admit it, you are the new American League Champion," Ross said.

"Well, to be honest, I am going to continue traveling so I can become the champion of the other regions," Ash said.

"Oh? Well that is honestly a shock, but I can't say that I don't respect that choice. My uncle did the same thing back in his time," Ross said. That was as far as the conversation went, because Ash felt a familiar hand grab his shoulder, turn him around and plant a passionate kiss on his lips. Rachel broke the kiss and smiled at her boyfriend. "Congratulations Ash," Rachel said. "I am so proud of you."

"Well, it is time for Ash to be entered into the American League Hall of Fame. Rachel, you've seen this place multiple times before, so you're welcome to join the two of us," Ross said.

"Sounds like fun," Rachel said. "You ready Ash?"

"Are you kidding? I've been waiting for this moment for my entire life, let's go!" With that, the trio walked to a door in the stadium that Ash only just noticed was hidden and painted to match the concrete. Luckily, it had avoided damage from the brutal battles that had transpired here. Ross opened the door, and led them inside, where he took Ash to the pedestal that looked like a healing machine.

"Place your Pokeballs in here, and don't worry, Raichu doesn't need to go back into his Pokéball for this," Ross said. Ash did as he was told and the machine glowed in response when every Pokéball was in their slots. With that, an electronic portrait of all of the Pokémon and Ash himself was created, and moved to its spot on the wall, right next to Ross's, which was surprisingly placed right beside two older pictures.

"Wait, Ross, is these pictures of who I think they are?" Ash asked, pointing to the pictures in question.

"If you think they are my dad and my uncle, then you're right. If you want to study up on Uncle Jordan's team, the one in that picture is the one he uses for the strongest opponents. And I know you will be battling him before you and Rachel leave for Kanto," Ross said.

Ash did as suggested. The team was impressive to say the least. With Swampert, Tyranitar, Metagross, Garchomp, Raikou, and a Typhlosion, it would be troublesome to beat that team with his own, but it would not be impossible. And he looked forward to that battle greatly, because it would not be much longer before it happened.

**Hey all, sorry this took so long to finish, but finals are happening. I don't think I need any more explanation.**

**Anyway, good news, my Hoenn story has been completely outlined and most of the details figured out, so it should be easier to write than **_**Ash Goes American.**_

**As always reviews are always welcome. I hope you have enjoyed this story so far, and as much as I have loved writing it, all good things must end eventually (but they will be followed by other good things).**


	36. Past vs Present

_Past vs. Present_

It had been a week since Ash had claimed the title of American League Champion, and in that time, he had been staying with Rachel and her family. Ash's visiting friends had gone home, and Ash knew they would be planning a party for him when he came home. He would have gone home with them, but there was still one thing that he had to do in the American League: he had to battle Jordan as he had been preparing to do for his entire journey since meeting Rachel and her family.

And today was the day for that battle. He had continued training for the past week with Ross and Connor (who had both lost to Jordan in the past, and told Ash that they secretly wanted to see Jordan lose to somebody), and he felt like he was as ready as he would ever be. Jordan spent a good deal of time working on the ranch and out of sight, so Ash guessed that the retired trainer was training in secret.

"Alright Raichu, it's time for us to battle the person widely regarded as the strongest trainer in the world. You ready for this, buddy?" he asked.

"Rai-Rai!" Raichu said.

"Sounds like it's time for the match of the century," Rachel said as she entered the room. Ash smiled when he heard her voice, no matter how many times he heard it, Rachel's voice always brought a smile to his face.

"I'm ready, and you'd better let Jordan know that his record is about to receive a loss," Ash said with a smile.

Rachel hugged him from behind. "Well Ash, I love you, but just remember who you'll be facing. He's much stronger than Ross," she said. Ash grabbed her arms, and loosened them a bit before spinning Rachel around until he held her in front of him, face to face. He looked deeply into her eyes before kissing her softly, and he felt Rachel practically melting in his arms.

He broke the kiss a minute later, and continued to smile at her. "I'll be fine. I knew he would be the strongest opponent I've ever battled since the moment he told me that he would only accept my challenge once I fought the Elite Four," He said.

"So, you've known how strong I'd be since then?" came a familiar voice from the doorway. When Ash turned around, he saw Jordan in the hallway, and he was wearing a belt of six Pokéballs. "Well, I think we should head out to the ranch's battlefield if you're ready," he said.

Ash nodded. "Alright, I suppose now is as good a time as any. I guess this is how Gold must have felt when he went to battle Red on Mount Silver," he said.

"Ah that battle, I remember that. It happened only a year before I became a trainer, and to be honest, I know those two personally. They have been battling back and forth ever since then, they wound up having an even record of 50 wins each before they retired," Jordan said.

"Wow, seriously?" Ash asked, slightly impressed.

"Yeah, there aren't too many famous trainers that I haven't met," Jordan said. "Anyway, shall we head to the field?"

"Of course," Ash said with a nod. With that, they went out to the ranch's backyard, where Jordan activated the lift system for the hidden battlefield, and he and Ash waited for the only spectators to arrive. Basically, it was Rachel's entire family, and Ross seemed to be the most excited, since he had never seen Jordan battle anybody who wasn't family.

While he was looking forward to this battle, Ross secretly had something on his mind that he meant to ask Ash about once this battle was over, but he didn't mind waiting. He just couldn't take his mind away from Dawn. That girl had captured his interest during the time that he saw her, and Ross wanted information about her. That, however, did not matter at the moment. The battle was about to begin and Ash had to concentrate if he was to win this. There was only one person or Pokémon who knew what Ross wanted to ask, and she had a bad habit of coming out of her Pokéball whenever she felt like it. She was also the only one of his Pokémon that could speak in human language, and she liked to talk about things that embarrassed her trainer.

Once both of the trainers were in position, there came an incredible gust of wind, and Ash suddenly got the feeling that some powerful eyes were watching this battle. Once the wind died down, Ash looked up into the sky, and could not believe what he saw.

"Well, it seems that we have attracted quite the audience," Jordan said, echoing Ash's thoughts. "It seems that Arceus and the rest of the Legendary Pokémon want to watch the battle between the two chosen trainers of Arceus." What he said was obviously true. In the sky was a massive rift with every single legendary Pokémon except for Mewtwo standing at the edge.

"Wait, Jordan, you said the two chosen trainers of Arceus. You mean that you're a Chosen Trainer?" Ash said.

_He is_ came the voice of Arceus, as he exited the rift and descended toward the battle field. Ash looked around and saw that everybody, except for Jordan, and Rachel, was in awe. _I chose Jordan when he stopped Team Phoenix's attack on the Pitt City museum so many years ago. Normally, I don't pick a new chosen trainer until the previous one passes on, but Ash was the exception. I saw just how selflessly he protected his Pokémon and friends, and I decided that he was the type of human that truly deserved to become one of my chosen trainers. So, I made an exception to my own rule on the day that you met Mewtwo on New Island._

"It's great to see you again Arceus," Ash said with a wave to the Creator Pokémon (Llama god). "But why are so many legendary Pokémon here?"

_Well, there has never been a battle between Chosen Trainers, and it's not likely that there will be another one. Besides, the world is peaceful at the moment, and things were getting a bit boring in the Hall of Origin, so we decided to watch an event,_ Arceus said. _Besides, one of us wanted to see her old trainer once again_.

When Arceus said that, one Pokémon left the rift and came closer. Ash realized in an instant that this was the same Ho-oh that he saw on the first day of his journey. There was no way this was coincidence. That same Ho-oh veered toward Jordan, landed, and began to nuzzle the retired trainer. Jordan laughed. "I missed you too Ho-oh and I'm glad to see you are doing well," he said as he rubbed the Pokémon's beak, earning a pleased cooing from the legendary bird. "Now, we should catch up after this battle is over." Ho-oh nodded when Jordan said that and flew back toward the rift and rejoining the other legendary Pokémon.

"Alright, then I guess I will be the referee for this battle," Connor said as he shook himself out of his shock, and stepped up to the sidelines. "Are both of you two ready?"

"You need to ask me?" Jordan said.

"I'm ready too," Ash said.

"Then select your first Pokémon," Connor said.

"Alright my old friend, it's time for our next battle. GO, RAIKOU!" Jordan called out. That was when the legendary lightning tiger appeared on the field, and he looked fierce, and he was almost the size of a small van.

"If you're choosing Raikou, then I choose Garchomp!" Ash said as he sent out the loyal land shark.

"Garchomp and Raikou, let the battle begin!" Connor said.

"Garchomp, Iron Head!" Ash called out. Garchomp lowered his head, which began to shimmer like polished steel, and flew at Raikou at incredible speed.

"Raikou, dodge it, then use Crunch!" Jordan said without a second thought. He had the look of somebody whose experience was so vast that his call could not be anything but the correct response to Garchomp's attack.

Raikou waited until the last moment before jumping to the side, but only for an instant before it lunged back at Garchomp with his teeth glowing black. Raikou bit down on Garchomp's right shoulder, causing the dragon to roar in protest. Raikou then whipped around, tossing Garchomp back across the field like he was nothing more than a baby Houndour's ball. Garchomp slid until he was a few feet from Ash. Luckily, Garchomp was able to get back onto his feet, and he was standing strong. He would be able to continue with little trouble, but what worried Ash was how fast that Raikou was. Sure, Raikou was a fast Pokémon, but they should not be anywhere near as fast this one. If this Pokémon alone was to be any indication of the strength Jordan possessed, then Ash could fully understand why he was considered to be the best trainer in the world. That, however, only spurred the young trainer to reach even greater heights to surpass his opponent.

"Well Ash, that was not an expected attack, but either way, you will need to be faster than that," Jordan said. "Now I think I will go on the offensive, Raikou, use Extremespeed combined with Crunch!" Raikou roared loudly as he sprinted at Grachomp. Raikou's speed grew to incredible levels, with his jaws taking on the black glow.

"Garchomp, use Stone Edge, stop that Raikou in his tracks," Ash called out. Garchomp's body was surrounded by three rings of rocks, which were thrown at the saber-tooth tiger with great force.

"Raikou, use Discharge on those stones to give some electricity to yourself," Jordan said.

Ash was surprised when he saw Raikou unleash multiple bolts of electricity, each one hitting one of the incoming stones with pinpoint accuracy. Not a single stone was able to get free of the electricity. That was when the stones hit their mark, striking Raikou, but instead of doing damage, they appeared to be strengthening the Pokémon. That was when Ash realized what was going on. Jordan was taking advantage of Garchomp's attack to utilize Raikou's Volt Absorb ability to not only nullify the damage, but also to increase Raikou's power. Impressive to say the least, but Ash did not have time to be impressed.

"Garchomp, use Earthquake!" Ash said. Garchomp did not hesitate, and stomped his foot into the ground, sending a shockwave through the battlefield. Raikou stumbled as the shockwave hit him, but the legendary Pokémon continued to fly at Garchomp. Raikou clamped onto Garchomp's neck and pulled the dragon to the ground. "Stone Edge now!" Ash called out. Garchomp responded as soon as Ash called for it, firing off stones at the legendary electric type, causing him to let go of his target, and be thrown across the field. He landed hard on his side, and that was where he remained. Garchomp, however, was doing no better.

"We have a double knock out. This round is a draw," Connor called out.

Both Ash and Jordan recalled their Pokémon, and Jordan smiled at Ash's skill. The only other person to have tied with any of Jordan's Pokémon in many years was Connor, and that was only because they were on vacation and Jordan was just having fun back then. Now Jordan was going full force and Ash was holding his own. It was still too early to say for sure, though.

"Alright, for my next Pokémon, I choose Metagross!" Jordan called out as he sent out the metal tank Pokémon.

"In that case, I choose Sceptile!" Ash said as he released the wood gecko, who immediately took out a sprig of grass and stuck it in his mouth.

"Sceptile vs. Metagross, begin!" Connor called out.

"Sceptile, let's begin with Leaf Blade!" Ash called out. Sceptile sprinted at Metagross, the leaves on his arms extending and glowing green. Sceptile sprinted at Metagross incredibly fast. Jordan, however, reacted as he always did.

"Psychic," Jordan called out. Metagross's X and eyes began to glow with blue aura. Sceptile got within an inch of hitting Metagross, but he stopped just short as Psychic took hold.

"Counter that with Bullet Seed!" Ash commanded. Sceptile smiled as he opened his mouth, letting loose a barrage of seeds at the machine Pokémon. They hit hard, making Metagross groan in protest, but he did not lose his grip on Sceptile. He merely decided to throw Sceptile back at Ash across the field. Sceptile spun in the air and nimbly landed on his feet, sliding slightly before he stopped in front of Ash.

"Bullet Punch!" Jordan called out. Metagross leapt into the air, flying toward Sceptile faster than such a heavy Pokémon should be able to move. He extended his front legs, preparing to punch Sceptile with both legs.

"Dodge that and use Leaf Storm!" Ash called out. Sceptile leapt to the side just as Metagross passed, and unleashed a barrage of sharpened leaves from his tail. Those leaves flew at Metagross with a lot of force, cutting the creature in multiple places. Unfortunately, Sceptile was just barely too close to the incoming Bullet Punch, and he was sent sprawling. Metagross slid across the ground as well, neither Pokémon was in good shape, but neither would give up this fight.

"Alright Sceptile, finish this with Iron Tail into Leaf Blade!" Ash called out. Before Metagross could get back to his feet, Sceptile was directly above him, whipping his tail around as it shimmered like steel. The attack struck Metagross hard, sending him crashing into the ground. Then came the Leaf Blade attacks, which sent Metagross farther into the ground than before. When the small dust cloud settled, the call was clear.

"Metagross is unable to battle, Sceptile is the winner!" Connor said. Jordan was surprised at this. While he was now behind his opponent, it was still early, and Jordan had gotten through tougher situations than this during his time as a trainer.

"Those were some good combinations Ash, but Sceptile will not win against my next Pokémon. Let's go Tyranitar!" Jordan called out as he tossed out his next Pokéball. It released the Godzilla-esque Pokémon, who roared as he materialized.

"Tyranitar vs. Sceptile, begin!" Connor called out.

"Let's make this quick with multiple Leaf Blades," Ash called out. Sceptile sprinted at Tyranitar with both of his leaves extended. Sceptile almost hit Tyranitar…almost.

"Tyranitar, first use Ice Punch with your left hand, and then Fire Punch with your right," Jordan called out. Just as Sceptile was within a few feet of Tyranitar, the rock-type punched out his left fist, driving an icy uppercut into Sceptile's chest. Sceptile's eyes bugged out and his mouth stayed agape from the shock of the punch. Then Tyranitar swung his flaming right fist down hitting Sceptile's back, while simultaneously moving his left out from under Sceptile. The force of the Fire Punch was great enough to send Sceptile crashing into the ground. The only sound that could be heard before the crash was Sceptile crying out in pain.

"Sceptile is unable to continue, Tyranitar is the winner!" Connor said. Ash gritted his teeth. That Tyranitar's attack power was unbelievable. It had to be to take down Sceptile with just two punches.

Ash recalled Sceptile. "Thanks buddy, you were great out there, now take a good rest," he said to his Pokémon. He chose his next Pokémon, knowing that he was the only one who could out speed Tyranitar, had no inherent weakness to the opponent, and could hit hard enough to win this round. "Let's go, Greninja!" Ash called out. Greninja appeared with a flash from the Pokéball.

"Greninja vs. Tyranitar, begin!" Connor called out.

"Tyranitar, Brick Break!" Jordan said. Tyranitar's right hand began to glow with power as he charged at Greninja, ready to punch this opponent just as hard as he hit Sceptile.

"Dodge that and use Water Shuriken Pulse!" Ash commanded. Greninja leapt into the air, flying over Tyranitar as he gathered a large sphere of water in his hands. When it was large enough, he threw it like he was a professional pitcher in a baseball game. The sphere got about halfway to Tyranitar when it erupted and sent out countless shuriken. Tyranitar had no time to dodge, only having time to cover his face with his arm. The barrage of water struck Tyranitar, erupting around the rock Pokémon, who roared in anger. While mist was being thrown up, Greninja landed nimbly in front of Ash, ready for the next round.

"Now, hit him with Toxic!" Ash called out. Greninja then threw a blob of brown sludge at Tyranitar at high speed.

"Protect, then Hyper Beam!" Jordan said. Tyranitar surrounded himself in a green sphere, stopping the toxin from hitting its target. When the shield dropped, a beam of dark energy erupted toward Greninja. Greninja could not take that if he was to win this battle.

"Greninja, use your own Protect, then use Hydro Pump!" Ash commanded. Greninja, like Tyranitar, covered itself it with a green sphere, blocking the incoming Hyper Beam. Tyranitar was too slow of a Pokémon to dodge the next incoming attack, but Ash wondered if he would be too sturdy to be taken down with a Hydro Pump.

Oh well, they were about to find out, because Hyper Beam dissipated, followed by Greninja's shield falling, then a massive torrent of water appeared. The attack rushed at Tyranitar with the force of water from a fire hose. The opponent had no time to dodge, and he was engulfed by the torrent. When the water stopped, and Tyranitar was laying on the ground.

"Tyranitar is unable to continue, Geninja is the winner," Connor called out.

Jordan recalled Tyranitar and pulled out his next Pokéball. "Well Ash, I hope you can win against my Typhlosion!" he said as he let out the Johto fire-type starter.

"I think we will be able to manage," Ash said with a confident grin.

"Typhlosion vs. Greninja, begin the battle!"

"Typhlosion, use Sunny Day!" Jordan called out. A sphere of white energy shot from Typhlosion's back and into the sky, intensifying the sun's rays.

"That's not going to help," Ash said. "Greninja, use Power-Up Punch!" Greninja's right hand began to glow brightly with energy as he sprinted at Typhlosion.

"Solarbeam," Jordan said. Ash's eyes went wide as Typhlosion reared back and fired off a massive golden and green beam, and there was no way for Greninja to dodge, given how fast he was already moving. The attack hit Greninja head on, his cry barely audible over the sound of the attack. The light faded and it was clear that Greninja was out of the battle.

"Greninja is unable to continue, Typhlosion is the winner!" Connor said.

Ash was already recalling Greninja when the call was made. He shook his head at how strong that Typhlosion was. He was both terrified and excited to see what Swampert, Jordan's first Pokémon, could do.

"Alright, it's time for you to come out, Latias!" Ash said as he threw his next Pokéball, releasing the red Eon Pokémon.

_Hey Ash, I'm so glad to be battling again!"_ Latias said to him as she flew around her trainer, playfully stealing his hat and throwing it to Rachel. As much as Rachel liked the hat on Ash, she wasn't big on wearing hats. Besides, Ash's hat didn't have the most pleasant scent to it at the moment due to his perspiring during the intense battle. Still, Latias's antics around Ash never lost their comedic value. Besides, it was cute how Ash and his Pokémon were so powerful, yet they could be so carefree as well.

_Latias, I'm happy to see you too, but you and I need to battle seriously, we have an important audience,_ Ash thought back. Latias looked around at the other legendary Pokémon, and smiled.

_Well, let's show Lord Arceus that we are the greatest team in the world._ Latias relayed back.

"Alright, Latias vs. Typhlosion, begin!" Connor said.

_Use Calm Mind, then use Psychic,_ Ash said.

_Sure, I'll do it,"_ Latias said back as she closed her eyes and her body began to glow light blue, raising her special stats.

"Use Flamethrower!" Jordan said. Typhlosion unleashed a large jet of flames at Latias, but the psychic dragon barrel-rolled out of the way without ever opening her eyes.

_Now, time for Psychic!_ Ash said. Latias nodded and began to grip Typhlosion with Psychic energy before throwing him into the air. _Finish this with Shadow Ball!_

Latias gathered a sphere of black energy in front of her before throwing it directly where Typhlosion was going to be as he fell. Unfortunately, Typhlosion was able to spin himself out of the way just as the Shadow Ball flew past.

_One more time, Shadow Ball just as Typhlosion is about to land_, Ash said. Latias did as she did before, gathering black energy in front of her and threw it at even higher speed than the previous attack. Typhlosion's eyes went wide as he knew there was no way for him to dodge the attack this time, since he was mere inches from the ground, and the Shadow Ball was perfectly timed. Just as Typhlosion landed, the Shadow Ball attack struck hard, creating an explosion and kicking up a lot of dust. When the dust cleared, the call was made.

"Typhlosion is unable to continue. Latias is the winner!" Connor said.

Jordan recalled Typhlosion, but he had a confident grin, despite being behind. "Hey Ash, you remember Seth the dragon-breeder, right? Well, you and Rachel aren't the only ones who got dragons from him. Go, Garchomp!" Jordan called out as he threw his next Pokéball. The Garchomp that appeared was taller than Ash's, and it had a much fiercer look, mostly due to the look in his eyes. That look told Ash that this Pokémon had seen countless battles, and he had won almost all of them.

"Garchomp vs. Latias, begin!" Connor called out.

"Dragon Pulse!" Ash called out.

"Dragon Rush!" Jordan said at the same time. As Latias fired a beam of green and purple energy at Garchomp, who became covered in a blue aura as he flew at Latias. The two attacks collided, but Garchomp's power soon overwhelmed Latias's attack. The Dragon Pulse split around Garchomp, almost harmlessly. That was when Garchomp slammed into Latias with so much force, it generated gale force winds. Latias went flying off the platform and landed on the ground.

"Latias!" Ash called out, clearly concerned.

_Hey Ash, win this for me,_ Latias said to her trainer before she passed out.

"Latias is unable to continue, Garchomp is the winner," Connor said.

Ash recalled Latias, and chose his next Pokémon. "Let's go Charizard! And let's not skip a beat, Mega-Evolve!" he called out. As soon as Charizard materialized, he was covered in a bright light, which dissipated to reveal his Mega X form.

"Alright, Garchomp vs. Charizard, begin!" Connor said.

"Charizard, Dragon Claw!" Ash commanded. Charizard's claws both extended with green energy. The stubborn fire type flew at Garchomp, ready to slash his opponent across his chest.

"Garchomp, use a Dragon Claw of your own," Jordan called out. Just as Charizard swung at Garchomp, the land shark's right claw blocked Charizard's left. Both Pokémon glared each other in the eye before separating and continuing to slash at each other, both trying desperately to land a hit. This dance between the two dragons went on for almost five minutes, even going into the sky on occasion. Soon, the two Pokémon were on their respective trainer's side of the field, and both looked worn out.

"Garchomp, use Stone Edge!" Jordan commanded. Two rings of stones spun around Garchomp before flying at the Charizard at high velocity.

"Charizard, use Fire Blast!" Ash called out. Charizard smiled at his trainer as he spat out the flaming kanji character for "fire," which stopped the momentum of the stones, and continued on, striking Garchomp directly in his center. After a few seconds, Garchomp collapsed.

"Garchomp is unable to battle, Charizard is the winner," Connor said.

"This is it," Ash said to himself. "It's time to face his Swampert."

"You are correct," Jordan said as he recalled Garchomp. "Now, come on out my old friend!" When he said that, he threw out his final Pokéball, which released Jordan's first Pokémon. When Swampert appeared, Ash could sense an aura of power radiating from him. It wasn't like Arceus, who radiated both power and timelessness. This aura was just perfectly refined power. And around the Pokémon's right forearm was a bracelet containing Swampertite. "Now Swampert, Mega Evolve!" Jordan said as he touched his own wrist band. Swampert was covered in a brilliant light for a few moments, emerging as his mega form, his upper body was now massive, as were his arms.

"Charizard vs. Swampert, begin!" Connor called out.

"Charizard, use Dragon Claw!" Ash said immediately. Like before, Charizard flew at Swampert with his claws glowing green and extending by about a foot.

That strategy, while effective against Garchomp, would do no good here. "Swampert, use Stone Edge, followed by Ice Punch!" Stones flew from Swampert, pelting the fire type who roared in protest, but continued to fly at Swampert, determined to leave the Pokémon with a parting gift. He got within range and slashed Swampert across the face.

That was when Swampert punched Charizard in the gut while his fist was covered in ice. That punch sent Charizard flying across the field, directly at Ash. Ash had no time to get out of the way (although Raichu was a few feet away within a few seconds), and an instant later he was under Charizard, most of his body throbbing. "Well, that hurt like hell. Charizard, you okay?" Ash said.

Charizard grunted in response, and was able to slowly get off of his trainer, but once he did, he reverted to his normal form. "Charizard is unable to continue, Swampert is the winner," Connor said.

Rachel came running to Ash's side, helping him up. "You okay Ash?" she asked. "That looked painful?"

"Yeah, I'll be okay, just a few bruises, maybe a broken bone, but I can finish this," Ash said.

"Alright, but don't overdo it," she said.

"I won't, but I will need my hat for this," he said. Rachel smiled and handed Ash's hat to him.

"I'm not sure how a hat will help, but alright," Rachel said.

"It's just something that helps me, you'll see," Ash said as he walked back to his trainer box. "Raichu, it's time for the two of us to show just how strong we are."

"Rai-rai!" the electric mouse said.

Ash smiled. "Alright Raichu, I choose you!" Raichu ran out onto the field fearlessly. When his friend was ready, Ash did something that he hadn't done in a long time: he grabbed the visor of his hat, and turned it around **(you know what I mean)**. Rachel was a bit confused about what she saw Ash do, but she did notice that Ash had a more determined look now.

"Alright, Raichu vs. Swampert. This is the final round. Begin!" Connor said.

"Swampert, use Earthquake," Jordan called out.

"Stop that attack with Grass Knot!" Ash called. As Swampert raised his fists to strike the ground and unleash a powerful shockwave. Just as Swampert was about to hit the ground four long blades of grass sprouted from the ground and wrapped around the mud fish's arms from the back. The knotted blades of grass stopped Swampert's arms before they hit the ground.

"Stone Edge!" Jordan said calmly. Three rings of stones appeared around Swampert, who threw them at Raichu quickly. The electric mouse was not about to be hit by rocks, so he leapt around the field, using Agility without Ash needing to say a word. Ash smiled when Raichu dodged every single incoming rock.

"Alright Raichu, Quick Attack into Iron Tail!" Raichu sprinted at Swampert, a streak of white light appearing behind him. It didn't take long before Raichu slammed into Swampert head-on, causing the larger Pokémon to stagger. Raichu used Swampert's face as a springboard to get behind him. From there, Raichu sprinted right back at Swampert, this time his tail shimmered like polished steel.

"Swampert, catch his tail and throw Raichu to the ground!" Jordan said, trying to remain calm, but clearly getting fired up. Swampert broke the blades of grass restraining him and proceeded to reach behind himself, perfectly timing his movements, grabbing Raichu's tail and whipping him over his head and slamming Raichu into the ground hard.

Raichu struggled to stand up, but when he did he looked even more determined.

That was when Ash noticed something interesting. There were small sparks of static electricity coming off of his body. This brought a smile to Ash's face. He had just gained a critical advantage, Swampert was paralyzed by Raichu's Static ability.

"Well Jordan, it looks like your undefeated record is about to take its first loss," Ash said. "Raichu, use Iron Tail followed by Body Slam!" Raichu leapt into the air, his tail continuing to shimmer as he hit Swampert across the face. Swampert reached up to try and grab Raichu. Unfortunately for Swampert, he stopped and could not move his arms at all. The electricity coursing through his body was stopping him in his tracks. When the opening was available, Raichu used the momentum from his Iron Tail to power up his Body Slam.

"Swampert, use Ice Beam!" Jordan said.

"We will take that Ice Beam and power up our Ice Punch!" Ash said. Raichu smiled as he gathered icy energy around his fist, and began to sprint across the field. Swampert fired a stream of ice at the electric mouse. Raichu moved to the side and held his Ice Punch in the beam. Raichu sprinted at Swampert, gathering all the ice that Swampert fired on his fist. When Raichu got close enough, he jumped directly at Swampert, not wavering as he swung, striking his opponent with an uppercut to the chin, sending Swampert into an ungraceful backflip. "Finish this with one last Iron Tail!" Ash said with excitement. This battle was over.

Raichu sprinted across the field, his tail once more shimmering like steel as he leapt into the air and did a barrel roll to gain momentum on his long, whip-like tail. Swampert had no chance to dodge as Raichu's tail once again whipped him on the top of his head, sending the mud fish's body crashing into the ground. The impact kicked up a large cloud of dust, leaving everybody in the audience, even the legendary Pokémon, in suspense. Raichu did a back flip out of the cloud, and he seemed confident. That was when a bright glow came from the cloud, and everybody got their answer. The dust cleared and the call would be undisputable.

"Swampert is unable to continue, Raichu wins. That means that Ash is the victor!" Connor said. Ash could not contain his excitement anymore. He ran out onto the battlefield and hugged Raichu to celebrate.

"You were amazing out there buddy!" Ash said to Raichu.

"Raichu-Rai!" the electric type said, which Ash took to mean "It wasn't all me."

"Well Ash, you just did something that no Champion, Frontier Brain, or even the most legendary trainers could do," Jordan said. "I'm a bit disappointed that I lost, but knowing it was another chosen trainer of Arceus is comforting."

"And there's the fact that he's dating me," Rachel said as she climbed onto the battlefield and hugged Ash from behind. Ash smiled and kissed her hand as she wrapped her arms around him.

"Right, that too," Jordan said with a slight smile. While it was his daughter, Rachel's relationship with Ash reminded him of how he and Sarah were while they dated.

_That was a most excellent battle,_ Arceus said. _I'm proud to call both of you my chosen trainers. Jordan, I thank you for all you have done when you were a trainer, and I am happy to say that you can continue to relax with your family. As for you, Ash, I regret to say that your trails have only just begun. I expect, however, that you will find them easier to complete with the experience you've gained in this journey. Rachel, I am trusting you to keep Ash safe._

"You can count on me, Arceus," Rachel said with a smile.

_Good, now, I must say farewell for now. I will, however, keep an eye on you and your descendants._ Arceus said. With that, Arceus returned to the rift, which closed as soon as he was inside. With that, the crowd was once again just the Moul Family and Ash.

That was when a certain Pokémon came out of her Pokéball and decided to embarrass her trainer. _Hey Ash! Ross wants to ask you about your friend, Dawn. He wants to go out with her!_ Gardevoir said.

"Damn it Gardevoir, why do you insist on doing these things to me?" Ross said, his face going red.

_Just because you are so easy to embarrass! Plus, it's fun!_ Gardevoir said.

"Well Ross, if that's true, then I could talk to Dawn about it. She said she was going to be going through the Kanto circuit for her contests, and for her Buneary's modeling. If you want, you can come to Pallet Town with Rachel and me," Ash said.

"Wait, are you serious?" Ross asked. "But who will be the league Champion while I'm gone?"

"I think I can fill that role," Jordan said. "After all, I did qualify for the position almost three decades ago."

"Are you sure, Uncle?" Ross said. "I thought you wanted to stay retired."

"Oh I was retired so I could raise Rachel," Jordan said with a smile. "But now that she's in good hands, I think I can return to being a trainer."

Rachel kissed Ash on his cheek lightly. "And you're in good hands too," she whispered to him.

"Well alright, if you two will tolerate me for a while, I think I will tag along with you two," Ross said.

_Ha! I knew you wanted to travel some more_ Gardevoir laughed. _I kept saying that we should travel other regions, but you just kept saying that you were fine staying in the American League._

Ross simple chuckled. "Yeah, I did say that, but I guess I've changed my mind."

One Week Later:

Ash led Rachel and Ross down the path that he had walked so many times on his way home from a journey. "We're almost there," Ash said. "You should see it when we get over this next hill!"

Rachel smiled at Ash's excitement. They had flown into the Saffron City Airport three days ago, and in that time they had made it to Viridian city by train (where Ash told them about his first encounter with Jessie, James, and Meowth), and they began walking down Route 1. So far, she loved what she saw of the Kanto region. It had a beautiful landscape, and the air here was so fresh. Gardevoir did come out of her Pokéball every so often just for fun, which kept the trip interesting (although sometimes it was at Ross's expense). All the while, Ash had been sharing stories of his experiences in his home region.

Sure enough, as they crested the hill, there was the quaint Pallet Town. It was a peaceful, and small town, not much different from Bath Town except it was smaller. Within ten minutes, the trio was at Ash's house, meeting Mr. Mime at the door, sweeping as usual.

"Hey, Mr. Mime," Ash said. "How've you been?" he asked.

"Mi-Mime!" the Pokémon said as he waved to Ash. He opened the door to the house and welcomed the trio inside. When they got there, however, Ash heard two familiar voices. One was his mother, but the other one was completely unexpected.

"Well it's about time you guys got here," Dawn said as she ran and hugged Ash.

Ash hugged his friend back briefly, "Well, it did take time to get a flight and travel from Saffron," he said.

"Well, don't worry. I've prepared my best dishes," Delia said. "And welcome home, Ash."

"Thanks Mom," Ash said as Raichu leapt off of Ash's shoulder and into Delia's arms, happy to see her again. "By the way, Ross, didn't you want to say something to Dawn?"

"Umm," Ross said, suddenly inarticulate. "Yeah, about that…" he didn't get the chance to say anything after that, because Gardevoir did what she always did in these situations.

_Ross thinks you're beautiful, Dawn,_ she said. _He wants to date you!_

"Gardevoir, come on!" Ross said.

"Well, is that true Ross?" Dawn said, she had a playful expression on her face. Ash noticed, and he knew exactly what Dawn was doing. He just chuckled, it seemed Dawn felt the same way toward Ross, but she was going to make Ross squirm for a little while.

"Uh, yeah…it is," Ross said, with a deep blush.

_What my slow-speaking trainer means to say is that he hasn't stopped thinking of you since he met you in the American region. He thinks you're the most beautiful girl he's ever met_ Gardevoir said.

Dawn blushed as well. "Then let's see how he does traveling with me around the Kanto Region," she said.

Ash and Rachel just smiled as they took a seat on the couch, after Ash placed his trophy on the mantel of course. While Dawn was busy having her own fun with Ross, Ash and Rachel were planning out their travels.

While they had no idea what was in store for them in the future, there was one thing that Rachel knew for sure. She was never going to let Ash go, no matter what troubles got between them. She knew in her heart that she had found her dream boy, and Ash felt the same about her. "No matter what happens, we'll face it together, right Ash?" Rachel said.

Ash kissed her on her forehead lightly. "Of course," he said. "You and I are too perfect for each other." As he said that, he gave Rachel a deeply passionate kiss on the lips, something that made her almost melt in his arms. From that one kiss, they both knew everything they needed to know about their future together. And that future looked very bright indeed.

**The End**

**Well, there you have it ladies and gentlemen. That is the end of **_**Ash Goes American**_**. I hope you have all enjoyed this story, and as always, please leave your honest opinions of this story. It's hard to believe it's been eleven months since I started this story, and look how far it has come.**

**Stay tuned for my next story, **_**Brendan's Journey**_**. It will be a Hoenn adventure story centering around, you guessed it, Brendan's travels through Hoenn. He will be traveling with May and my personal favorite Pokémon as his starter.**

**I hope you have a great holiday season. I look forward to your reviews of my other works.**


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